


Hummel and Oates

by elfinder



Category: Glee, klaine - Fandom
Genre: AU, Chaptered, Drama, Humour, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 16:18:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 75,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1272997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfinder/pseuds/elfinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Klaine ‘80s AU. Sometimes even potential soulmates can get off on the wrong foot. Enter Kurt, the ballsy co-manager of Dare to Flare, the hottest gay club in the East Village, and Blaine, a newly hired cover band artist at the same club. Right from the start, the boys’ first impressions of one another go astray thanks to some incorrect gossip and an accidentally spilt drink. Can two men who aren't even on a first name basis ever put their differences aside?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: AIDS/HIV, minor character death (past).
> 
> Notes: This story has been a labour of love, one I very much wanted to write. Doing a story set in the 80s was high on my list. I also wanted to write a fic where the first time Kurt and Blaine met, there was no instant connection. This is the result of those two desires and I am so happy with the results. Big thanks are needed to both of my lovely betas, who helped me polish the story until it sparkled. Also kudos to the talented artist I was pare with and I've really enjoyed our collaborations! I already have plans to write a sequel to this story for the record too.

  
  


Hummel & Oates  
By: elfinder

Prologue

_~New York: 1975~_

No matter where one went, there were always young rebellious teenagers out testing boundaries. Things such as law enforced age limits were often easily bypassed, with a little knack, know-how and a boat load of reckless but often misguided courage. This could not be more true than for one young seventeen-year-old boy, who was walking towards a building in Manhattan’s East Village. He ignored anything and anyone around him, but since it was still early in the afternoon there wasn't much action going on. While it was often called the city that never sleeps, New York still winded down, usually when people were working their regular day jobs. 

Only Kurt Hummel was sick of regular. Not that his life could be called that in any capacity because it was more tragic than ordinary. But Kurt, without any parents left alive to guide him to a better tomorrow, wanted desperately to discover a part of himself he'd always held back. Until now and he hoped the building before him would hold the answers and possibly, the acceptance he was still longing for. 

It wasn't a youth centre, but a gay club named 'Dare to Flare'. Kurt had walked by the building before but had never dared to get that close. For one thing he was only a teenager and thus legally too young to step inside the place of drink. Also, Kurt had been in the closet about his homosexuality and had no plans to come out. Then his father had suddenly died from a heart attack. Losing his family had finally made Kurt realize he could no longer live in fear.

So he had a plan; Kurt would sneak into the place when security was lessened and hopefully find a spot to hide it out until the real fun began. Kurt wanted to experience a whole new way of life: that of an out gay man. The world seemed to think that gay people were sinners who were living on borrowed time, which was total bullshit of course. People always latched on to religion or any excuse they could use to validate their reasons for turning to hate. 

Kurt was through listening to such utter nonsense, because from now on Kurt had his own agenda to to focus on. The way Kurt saw it, if he could make it to the 90s then he'd be way ahead of the game. But for the time being, Kurt's mind was more sent on reaching the next decade: the 1980s.

Of course when Kurt had finally made it to his destination, nobody was around to notice him coming onto the scene, but that hardly mattered. Considering what he planned to get up to, it was actually quite an idealistic scenario. Kurt gazed up at the neon sign before him with his hands on his hips. He'd picked the club on a whim, after hearing some guy go on and on about the place on the subway. Now Kurt just hoped he had made the right choice, for tonight at least. 

“Okay Dare to Flare, show me what you've got,” Kurt said.

Little did Kurt know that once he went inside, his whole life would change into something much brighter and full of a whole lot more than just flare. 

Chapter One 

_~Ten Years Later~_

Ah, The East Village Manhattan, circa 1985. Could there be any better place to be? For one young hopeful performer there wasn't. For the longest time relocating from his home town to the Big Apple seemed nothing but a far off dream. But now, after a lot of scrounging, luck, newfound courage, and a nasty breakup Blaine Anderson had finally made it. Or he was trying to. It was easier said than done when the subway system made the new arrival feel like he was trapped in a labyrinth. The way Blaine was looking around with wide eyed wonder, one would think he was a tourist from the boondocks. Blaine Anderson was many things but not that. Blaine was a twenty-six-year-old who had many goals to conquer with coming here. The most important thing for him was to make enough money to survive but there was another desire that was on a far more personal level. New York might be the city of dreams and where Broadway resided but what Blaine really wanted to encounter was its famous gay community. Such a wish had lead Blaine to the East Village, where the chance of a job opportunity could kill two birds with one stone.

Blaine only hoped he looked the part, because fashion was all over the place in the 80s. Blaine had tried his best to go for the trendy approach. He chose bright turquoise pants, opting for a tight fit instead of the current baggy trend (because even Blaine had his standards). Since Blaine had a thing for nostalgia, he'd chosen to wear a vintage print Queen concert t-shirt, hoping it would also give a positive hint to his own musical tastes as well. In a final attempt to jump on the popularity of Back to the Future, he was also wearing a puffy navy jacket, while Blaine hoped his white top sneakers with a matching turquoise trim fully completed the ensemble. 

After asking lot of people and still getting nowhere, Blaine eventually asked a nearby drag queen and was personally escorted to the correct club. Blaine politely voiced his thanks and headed off again, but he needed to take a deep breath before entering building. In the light of the day the whole area looked very dead and inactive but considering the place was a night club, that was understandable. He even bet the few people still lingering around were just finishing their night time activities.

His arrival at such a place had come to pass thanks to noticing an inconspicuous ad in a local newspaper. Soon Blaine would find out what the job entailed and he hoped taking his clothes off wasn't part of it.

Blaine Anderson was about to enter his very first New York gay club. At the top of the main doors was a neon sign, just like the countless others he'd seen since arriving in Manhattan. Only this one caused him to shake his head at what the club was called.

“Dare to Flare?” Blaine said with bemusement. He supposed the name worked well for the club's targeted clientele, considering there was little chance to mistake what type of establishment it was.

It was still the early afternoon so that meant the club was closed for business but Blaine had been instructed to head to the side door for his audition. Blaine stepped up to knock and waited patiently for any signs of life. Then the door cracked open and a formidable looking man who clearly was a member of security eyed him warily.

“Uh, hi there, I'm here for a job audition,” Blaine stuttered awkwardly; so much for acting professional.

As if Blaine had uttered the magic password, the man's once harsh gaze softened. “Hey there kid, come right in... the manager’s been waiting for you,” he urged. He grabbed onto Blaine's shoulders and half dragged him inside the building, until Blaine was able to move on his own and fought to keep up with the man’s wide strides.

The insides of the club (even the back portions) looked quite dazzling to him. From Blaine's view point he could see the main club area off in the distance through an opened door. The exposed brick walls were splattered in multi-coloured neon paint, while equally colourful lines of what looked like Christmas lights hung from the ceiling. In the opposite side of the room, there was an epic dance floor where there were actually large metal cages that Blaine assumed hot men would dance in. Groups of chairs started farther back and off to the left was an impressive looking bar. What caught Blaine's eye the most was the overall effect of room and if Blaine had to use one word to describe it, he would have to go with cutting-edge. He quickly got the feeling that this was no cheesy little back alleyway bar. Which made Blaine curious about how the place fared during its peak hours.

Blaine was shown to a small back room where a man in his late thirties (looking very classy in a purple blazer) was waiting inside. At Blaine's arrival he looked up from the paper he was studying and the warm smiles kept coming. “Ah, here you are, Blaine right? I'm glad you found the place.”

“Yeah, thanks to Wanda,” Blaine admitted with a cheeky grin.

“Well then, I'll tell her thanks next time I see her on the street,” the man replied. He stood up from his chair and walked over to Blaine, arm outstretched in greeting. “I'm Stephan Manning, manager of Dare to Flare; land of the free, gay and fabulous,” he introduced.

“I'm Blaine Anderson, someone who could use more flare in his life.”

The little joke was a good call and already Blaine was making the right sort of first impression. “Great, now we just need to see if you can bring it in the music department. Before you go and sing for me, I want to know a bit more about you, Blaine.”

It was not the type of interview Blaine was used to but he welcomed the more relaxed atmosphere as he took a seat at the table. “I'd be happy to,” he replied.

“So tell me what are some of your favourite types of music and groups? Honestly too, don't think you need to list only current trends now,” Stephan prompted.

Blaine furrowed his brows in thought, though he didn't want to wait too long with his answer. “Oh geez... where to begin... there's so many to list. My love of music spans over various genres and eras... but if I were to pick my all time favourite. That would have to be Queen, Freddie Mercury is who inspired my wanting to perform the most. I'm really into disco music too though, I grew up listening to it so it was hard not to. There's nothing like jamming to some Bee Gees to get the day going, I don't think anyone could resist grooving to Stayin' Alive. What else... um, oh well I am a big fan of Wham!, Hall & Oates and the Bangles. David Bowie too, naturally...” Blaine rambled as new groups popped into his mind. “Wait! How could I nearly forget Michael Jackson!” he shouted. Blaine suddenly remembered he was trying to get a job and flashed Stephan a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I tend to get really passionate about music...” he explained.

Stephan laughed, “Actually, I find your excitement very refreshing. Okay that answers my first question. Onto the next... I take it you're new to Manhattan?”

Blaine blinked, fingering the collar of his jacket absentmindedly. Were his attempts to look good totally off? He'd tried so hard, maybe he should have gone for the professional look after all. “Does it show that much? I'm originally from Oregon, but was living in Nevada for the past six years before moving here... oh, about a week and a half ago,” Blaine confirmed. Had it really been that long? It had gone by in such a blur and that hectic time had been split between unpacking boxes and looking for work. He hadn't even ventured out to experience the beckoning night life or the gay community that was far more out in the open than other States. 

“Only because I've seen many young men walk through here like you – myself included – and I, for one, never left,” Stephan said.

“Oh, well that's encouraging then,” Blaine said with a smile.

Once the questioning portion of the interview was over, Blaine went onto the audition part where he pulled out all the stops. Blaine had Stephan pick a song and without any prep, sang the number like a pro. Four songs later and Blaine was still going strong, only there was no longer any need to sway his audience of one.

“Well Blaine, I won't put you through the run-around, not with a voice like that. Needless to say, you're hired. I was going to wait until my co-manager saw you before finalizing but now there's no need. I'm quite sure he'll be equally impressed with your talents, Blaine, you're exactly what we're looking for!” Stephan exclaimed.

Blaine was grinning to from ear to ear. “Great! Just... what am I being hired for exactly?” he asked.  
_______________________________________________________________________________

“You can't be serious! A cover band?” a high pitched voice shrilled through an empty hallway.

“No need to go octane on me, Kurt, cover bands are all the rage! Aren't you always telling me we need to keep things up to date at the club? Wait until you hear the guy I just hired today! He's really something else, he has just the range I was looking for. Gave me the whole idea to have him and the other new hire perform as a cover band,” Stephan explained to his younger co-manager.

If Kurt's day wasn't bad enough now there was this to deal with. But his foul mood might have something to do with the terrible week he was having that was going from bad to worse. Kurt quickly glanced in the mirror to make sure the foundation he applied was hiding his new bruises well enough. Because if word got out that Kurt had gotten gay bashed and nearly hospitalized by a local gang of teens, he'd never hear the end of it. All of his friends and co-workers would be concerned of course, but there would be no forgetting it. Even worse, they might try to get him to press charges and be the one to take a stand for gay rights. Why did Kurt have to become a gay martyr just to make everyone else feel safer on the streets? His friends weren't fools though and he got the feeling they wouldn't exactly buy his emergency explanation of tripping down subway stairs. Maybe because Kurt seemingly had perfect balance and walked like a model wherever he went.

“It's so cheesy, Steph, you're gonna regret it...” Kurt whined.

“Then it's a good thing that I have you around to put it right, if and when they go wrong. Until that happens, just give my idea a chance,” Stephan coaxed.

Seeing as Kurt really had no choice but to give in for now, since Stephan was his boss and the actual owner of the club Kurt had helped become all the rage since his last promotion. He might have put ten years into the place, starting from being nothing but a cage dancer and working his way up the ladder, but Stephan still called the shots. “Fine, let them go up on stage tonight as planned. I'll be there to watch the reception with eagle eyes... and there will be notes for you to read,” Kurt said with a sigh of defeat. 

“You're a peach, Kurt. You'll come around, just you wait and see,” Stephan chimed and hung up on the other end. 

That was just great. Yet another thing that could put his hair in a twist, which was reaching amazing height already. But when he was a hair dresser by day, Kurt had an image to uphold and his knack with hairdos was well known at Do it To it. So he wasn't some illustrious hairstylist to the stars, where he dolled up the likes of Cher, Madonna and any other gay icon that came to mind.

Kurt was high in demand when it came to his skilled hands doing wonders for any type of hair. With a can of hairspray in one and a comb in the other, he could work real magic shaping and sculpting those locks of hair into a sight to behold that would make Cyndi Lauper proud and maybe even a little jealous. No matter how much Kurt enjoyed his day job, even that couldn't lift his dark mood and it showed the instant he came into view.

“Oh watch out, the fur’s gonna fly...” a sassy voice teased, albeit playfully as Kurt came around the corner.

“The only thing that's gonna end up on the floor is shorn hair, if you tread lightly. I might be in a bad mood but I am still a professional, Justin, please,” Kurt scoffed as he went over to his station and started his usual set up.

The first customer of the day ended up being a very familiar face to Kurt, one he'd known since he was thirteen. When the short brunette that was pretty much his sister in every way but blood waltzed in, Kurt was both happy and annoyed to see her. “Rachel, right on time, step on up and let me work my magic on you,” he urged despite his hidden trepidation.

His concern was quite justified and all it took was one look at Kurt for Rachel to know something was up. She rushed up right in front of him, clutching the sides of his cheeks and causing Kurt to hiss in pain and flinch away. “Kurt, what's happened, are you okay?” she asked with worry.

“Not now! We'll talk about it later,” he hissed back as he pushed her towards the chair.

“Kurt...” Rachel warned.

“Don't 'Kurt...' me, just sit back and don't make me want to give you a buzz cut out of spite.”

“You wouldn't,” Rachel accused, calling his possible bluff.

With scissors in hand and Rachel seated in the chair, Kurt spun her around and gave a malicious grin. “Wouldn't I?” he taunted.

Rachel's resulting hairdo didn't cause her to let out a painful scream at all, instead she was now flailing from pure delight. “Oh my god Kurt, I look amazing!” Rachel squealed as she touched the end of her new springy perm.

Kurt was proud he could still manage a believable laugh.“Naturally, now that's how you do a perm Kurt Hummel style. As thanks you can save the interrogations until tomorrow. I've got way too much on my plate to deal with right now. Stephan’s got some hare-brained idea to have cover artists at the club,” Kurt tutted as he shooed her to the cashier so she could pay.

“Only if you're just pissed and not hurt...” Rachel argued.

It hadn't taken Kurt long since the start of their friendship to know when Rachel wasn't about to back down. He still refused to tell her the main reason for his foul mood but it probably wouldn't hurt to vent to her about the more trivial things. “If you really want to know you can join me for my lunch break and hear all about it. Just don't say that I didn't warn you...” Kurt offered as he finished cleaning up after her hair cut.

True to Rachel's habits, as soon as the pair were seated in the hair salon's break room, she was back to asking questions. “So what else aside from the cover band thing at Flare has got you looking so bummed?” Rachel urged. 

Kurt let out a tired sigh, “Where to begin... well, seeing as we're both here right now... I'll start with what's been going on at the salon. Two days ago, when I was trying my best to save some snobby trophy wife's hair from a bad dye job... the bitch started shouting that I'd ruined her hair for life! Then, when I tried to explain to her that she couldn't be more wrong... which wasn't easy to do whilst remaining polite, she called me a faggot! Right to my face!” Kurt exclaimed. 

Just the memory of that day was making Kurt angrier by the minute and his voice was getting louder as well. 

“No way!” Rachel gasped in surprise. “I sure hope she was immediately banned.”

Kurt nodded. Whenever anyone uttered that offensive word at the salon, it meant an instant ejection. “Oh yes, but she didn't have to pay me for the job... so I don't count it as a win,” Kurt explained. He knew he had gone too far with his back talk but he just hated that word so much. He could never seem to escape it either, not with how he lived his life in an age where daring to be different was dangerous. 

“Anything else?” Rachel asked. 

“Peter never called me back. He was the first interesting guy I've met in months!” Kurt answered.

“Well, that's his loss then,” Rachel scoffed in dismissal. 

Even after Kurt continued to tell Rachel every annoying detail he could think of, he didn't feel much better. So much for venting out his frustrations then. Whoever this new crop of talent at the club were, they had their work cut out for them.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

As Blaine studied his features in the mirror in the tiny dressing room at 'Dare to Flare', he hardly recognized himself. For one thing Blaine had never been a fan of moustaches, on himself or any guy he wanted to kiss. Now seeing himself with one plastered above his lip, his opinion was only further confirmed. Then there was the matter of his outfit, or costume rather because a look as wild as this could only work up on stage. To Blaine's amazement, his pants were zebra print and his white tank top had a hot pink design on the front. Though he had to hand it to whoever was in charge of wardrobe, his outfit was an exact copy from the band's 'Out of Time' music video. “I dunno about this...” Blaine grumbled to no one in particular.

The young man standing at his left, dressed in Hall's iconic leopard print suit, rolled his eyes as he adjusted his own hair, which was an obvious wig. “You look awesome dude, just like John Oates himself,” he assured.

Since that was the band he and his new musical partner were trying to impersonate, Blaine supposed that was a good thing. Still, this wasn't exactly what he'd pictured when he'd applied for the position at the club. It could be worse; at least he wasn't doing a strip routine or anything. “Thanks, you're a pretty righteous Daryl Hall, uh, what did you say your name was again?”

“It's Sam, you're Blaine right?”

“Yeah, so uh... is this what you expected you'd be doing to pay the bills?” Blaine asked with an awkward chuckle.

Sam in turn let out a long mocking laugh, “Oh heck no, in fact, just between you and me...” he began, beckoning Blaine to get up nice and close. But before Blaine could admire his luscious lips for long he continued, once he made sure no one was within earshot. “I'm not actually gay, I’m straight but I have no problem being around gay guys for the record. I just need the money really bad, my family’s living in a cheap motel right now. I dunno if I gotta be gay to work here so keep this to yourself okay,” he whispered.

Blaine was very surprised by the news but he quickly nodded. “Of course, you're secret’s safe with me... I know all about keeping those. But... what if you get hit on, or propositioned?” he asked.

Sam's response was to shrug as he finished putting the touches on his wig and tried his best Daryl Hall impression. “It comes with being a hot guy with a killer bod, so I'll just have to wing it,” he dismissed. He wasn't as nearly as convincing as Blaine but as long as he had a good voice then there wouldn't be a problem. 

“Whatever, it's a good thing I'm already well versed with Hall & Oates songs to begin with. Please tell me you are too?” Blaine questioned.

Sam nodded with excitement. Blaine had never met someone who was straight and so keen on performing in front an entire room of gay guys. Sure this was East Village Manhattan and not someplace far less open-minded, but Blaine was still pleasantly surprised.

“No duh! Of course I know their songs, they rock! But I sure hope we'll get do some other bands too,” Sam said.

“The boss said we can make suggestions. I totally wanna sing some Wham! songs!” Blaine exclaimed.

“Or how about Duran Duran?” Sam added.

Blaine was getting hyped up from the fact that so far every band Sam had mentioned was one he equally loved and couldn't wait to sing on stage. Maybe this cover band thing wouldn't be so bad after all. Not that he'd thought it would be horrible in the first place and with Sam as his partner, the job was looking brighter already. In fact as they walked together towards the rehearsal area and started their mic test he decided to try to strike up another conversation. “Are you from New York?” he asked. 

“Yeah, lived here all my life, not in the best neighbourhood but you take what you can get. Really all things considered I can't complain, and it's thanks to music that I kept off the streets and away from drugs. I was in band in high school, played guitar in restaurants for pocket change, not a life of high finery but yeah, that's basically my story. How about you?” Sam answered. 

This was what happened when Blaine spoke before thinking, because he never liked talking about his home town, as it held too many bitter memories. But he needed to say something or bringing the subject up would seem really stupid. “Oh... I wasn't born there but I recently moved from Nevada. I needed a new start after breaking up with my boyfriend,” Blaine explained. 

“Yeah... exes can do that to you, my girlfriend just dumped me,” Sam said.

“And you've decided to give guys a try now?” Blaine teased, hoping he wasn't overstepping.

Sam's laughter quickly put his new friend at ease and he cuffed Blaine on the shoulder. “I think you and I are gonna be best buds pretty quick. I tell yah what, if any dudes hit on me I'll send 'em your way,” he offered. 

Blaine rolled his eyes playfully and took hold of the mic.“Gee thanks but for now let's try not to make fools of ourselves up on stage. We still need to impress the co-manager and the word around the staff is he’s quite the hardball,” he warned.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

Blaring music, sweaty bodies packed close together, hook-ups, men giving come-ons, plus enough liquor to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool, these were the things Kurt saw on a typical night’s work at 'Dare to Flare'. Back when Kurt was a wide-eyed and reckless seventeen-year-old seeing the world he longed to join but new knew nothing about, such sights had struck terror in his naive heart. But those days were long gone and now, a little over ten years later, Kurt was nearly pushing thirty and he wasn't really sure what the payoff was. Okay, yes, he was lucky enough to own a nice apartment in Chelsea, but that was from his inheritance and not from his yearly earnings. Nor was there anyone special in his life to share his cozy little flat with anyway. When it came to his image at the Flare, Kurt liked to act professionally and use a little sass when needed. Around the club he was merely known as Hard-Ball-Hummel, a name he'd taken and made his own. It sort of fit anyway; not only was he ballsy but he was also very hard to land sexually. It was sort of a test of wills and perseverance that many club goers were keen to try their luck with, for the desired bragging rights and the amazing sex of course. But few who tried succeeded and those who did often enjoyed the rewards too much to gossip. Kurt knew how to work every eager guy who came his way and more often than not, it was to shut them down ruthlessly. 

But Kurt was no longer in high school, he was an adult and this was his community. He'd never allow himself to use tactics such as as cruelty or harassment. He was more than willing to let his snark out if need be but he always drew the line when and where it was needed. For all Kurt could tell, his popularity had gone unchallenged over the past decade, but he was sure people still had plenty of unkind things to say when he wasn't around to hear them. When it came to the staff, Kurt looked after his own and never allowed them to be harassed or manhandled, unless they wanted to it happen and it was done on their own time. 

At the moment it was his duty to assess the two new workers who would form Stephan's crazy cover band idea. As he scanned the crowded dance floor of another full house (like most were) Kurt kept his posture cool and collected. He made his way up to the bar and the bartender instantly placed a vodka tonic in front in front of Kurt before he could order. Kurt flashed him a smile and took a sip. He kept to a strict two drink rule when he was on the clock.

The DJ was rocking and the dance floor was full of eager young men who wanted to let loose and have a good time where no one would judge them for their preferred company. Where else could one go and make out with a guy in plain sight without it being a fire starter? Kurt hadn't even been locking lips with anyone when his band of trouble makers started tailing him, shouting derogatory insults. All it took was dressing fabulously enough to flag himself as a homosexual to become an open target. 

Kurt was too lost in thought to notice the flirtatious stares and men batting their eyelashes at him, all hoping to catch his eye. Whenever the co-manager came onto the scene he always pulled focus and became the centre of attention. Even in this case, when he was oblivious to the attention because of his bad mood, it was a good thing.

“So Hummel, word is you're not that happy about the new hires,” the bartender, Sebastian said.

The question brought Kurt back down to earth and he shrugged indifferently. “It's still too early to tell if Stephan's foolish idea to hire cover band boys will work,” Kurt scoffed.

“I caught some of their rehearsal in the back earlier and in my opinion they're doing great so far. The crowd around the stage seems eager to hear them too, ” Sebastian replied.

“That's because they're something new... and the novelty could easily wear off in a day or two. But if they bring in more customers in the long run, I'll gladly eat crow,” Kurt assured.

“Care to make that an official statement?” Sebastian taunted.

Kurt placed the now empty glass back on the table and gave him a stern look, which dissolved as the pair cracked into light laughter. “Just do your job and make the cocktails hon, I'll worry about the new boys and if they're any good.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Back behind the stage Blaine was trying his best to battle his anxiety and Sam's seemingly relaxed state wasn't helping. “How can you be so calm?”

“Cause I know how to sing and look good, what else do you need? Come on bro, let's rock this gay bar something fierce!” Sam cheered as he ran off when the music started.

Blaine shook his head, trailing after his musical partner and stepped out to see bright lights and a cheering audience. The place was packed and full of guy after guy, more than Blaine could count, even if he could only see half of them through the near blinding stage lights.

“Now for your entertainment, boys and boys: the sounds of Hall & Oates!” the announcer shouted and quickly left the stage.

From his viewpoint up in the rafters and away from anyone who could divert his attention, Kurt watched the stage below with sharp eyes. Hall & Oates was an interesting choice to go with but then they did have some good hits, a number of which Kurt adored. The first song of the night by the club’s new cover band turned out to be none other but Kurt's all time favourite, 'Maneater.' He had a sinking feeling the song choice was Stephan's attempt to butter Kurt up but he wasn't about to take the bait. “Okay... show me what you got boys and it better be your very best,” he urged, even when they couldn't hear him. 

He wasn't so convinced on the guy who was clearly meant to be Daryl Hall, but his voice wasn't half bad. Unlike in the original song the vocals were split down the middle between the two men on stage and when the Oates of the duo started to sing, Kurt switched his attention to him. Even from this distance Kurt instantly noted the real curly locks that nearly matched John's iconic do but the moustache was so obviously fake it looked ridiculous. Still, both guys were quite easy on the eyes and that was very clear from the cheering group of men forming around the stage. By the end of the first song Kurt was warming up a little but wasn't quite convinced yet. It would take more than good looks and parlour trick dance moves to win him over.

During the performance Blaine tried his best to remain in the zone and in character to pull off the illusion properly. By his judgement he and Sam were doing pretty well and the crowd sure seemed to like their efforts. When their second number was done he used the quick break to search for any signs of the elusive co-manager he had been told about. Since he had no idea what to expect or even what to look for, his search came up empty handed. “Any idea where the co-manager is?” Blaine whispered to Sam.

“He's up in the rafters, look,” Sam answered back, trying to be discreet when he nodded upwards to where he was perched.

But there was no time to try to sneak a peek when the third song launched off and Blaine had to focus on bringing it on stage. Eventually when Sam took over on the vocals he quickly looked upwards and caught sight of the co-manager. To Blaine he looked like the phantom of Dare to Flare. He always found the idea of a mysterious musical genius who kept to the shadows in an opera house rather romantic (despite him being disfigured and insane). It was a shame that he was too far away to get a good look but it wasn't like Blaine had the time to anyway. The only thing he gathered from his stolen glances in between singing and dancing was the guy sure dared to flare all right and had very high hair which looked exactly like Daryl Hall's from their 'Maneater' music video.

At first Kurt thought he was warming up to the performance but his inner demons refused to let up. So halfway through the number Kurt headed back down to the main area. He'd save deciding if the new guys were good enough to get his approval for another day, when he would hopefully be in a more agreeable mood. In fact, before Kurt started his usual rounds, he decided to make a momentary escape to his office so he could calm his frazzled nerves. Only, as usual, Kurt's presence had already been noticed and he wasn't about to make a scene by bolting. 'Lord, I really need a cigarette,' Kurt thought to himself. Too bad he'd promised never to smoke again and he wasn't about to break that vow for such a trivial reason.

“There you are Hummel, pretty gnarly entertainment tonight huh?” a regular named Eli said. 

Kurt relaxed slightly at the sight of him, since he was quite familiar with Eli but not in a sexual way. Though the group of men he had in tow meant he wasn't about to fully drop his guard. “What are you Eli, a surfer now? This isn't some LA beach,” Kurt groaned. 

The catty remark was nothing new and Eli laughed at Kurt's dry wit, his friends joining in. “Don't nitpick, it's not attractive. Not that you need any more good looks. Back to the talent, what's your verdict? You gotta admit they're pretty smoking... Hall's got a rockin’ bod and Oates looks as good as he sings,” Eli remarked.

Kurt rolled his eyes in response this time. “Please, we have more than enough gorgeous men to go around as it is. I'm still not sold on Stephan's cover band idea. We already have a DJ so I don't see why putting copy cats up on stage is necessary.”

“Their vocals sound pretty sweet to me,” Eli countered.

“Sure they can sing decently enough... but I don't think the crowd's reaction is entirely due to their vocal talents,” Kurt said. 

“Wow Hummel, who got you all pissed off and raging?” Eli questioned. 

Kurt's first instinct was to avoid the question all together and move on, but he had so few genuine friends as it was. At least male ones who he hadn't slept with or shut down, so he couldn't really afford lose any. “Don't ask...” Kurt said with a tired moan.

Eli placed his arm around Kurt's shoulder and turned him towards the stage, where the two up there were taking their bows after a job well done. “Come on... Oates looks just like your type Hummel, you should go hit that.”

“I don't fuck the staff, Eli, you know that... it's hardly ethical work practice,” Kurt reminded him.

“Which isn't always the case, even for you. So I say, as long as you have the guy’s consent... go for it, if the inspiration strikes you,” Eli urged.

Kurt planted his hand over Eli's face, pushing him off and he shoved him back towards his friends. “Go dance off your energy or something, leave me be... I have work to do and I don't mean the staff!” he barked and stormed off into the crowd.

“And yet he's still so popular here,” one of Eli's friends commented after Kurt made his dramatic exit.

“Well with an ass like that you can put up with a lot of snark I guess,” a second guy added.

Eli didn't join in on the discussion, because none of them really knew who the real Hummel was, heck barely anyone at the club knew his first name. Those who did (like Eli), knew to keep that secret to themselves because it was quite the honour and one not to be taken lightly. Those who were in his favour wanted to keep things that way and not for the reasons most people would think. Because Kurt's sexual talents were as good as people said but gaining his loyalty was the best reward by far. 

As soon as Blaine's work obligations were done, he very much wanted to hear what the boss thought. Only since Stephan was off for the night Blaine had expected his second in command, someone named Hummel, to show. After waiting a while Blaine decided to take matters into his own hands and go looking for him in the club. He really wanted to know if he had a steady job or not. There were too many bills to pay and not enough money in his bank account and his credit card was already maxed out from buying food. 

“Hey Sam, any idea where the co-manager went?” Blaine asked, catching his new friend before he was planning to leave.

“Naw, sorry man, I know he's out there somewhere but I wouldn't worry about it. I think we did really well, you heard the cheering right? I wish I could stay and see what it's like out there but I gotta go watch my little brother and sister for the night. But it's not like you need me anyway so don't let my absence hold you back. You should go out there and strut your stuff and get back in the game. I hear sex is super easy to come by here, lucky for you... go nail someone... or whatever you’re into,” Sam urged.

The encouragement to go look for sex instead of hearing how the job had gone felt a little weird but not creepy, so Blaine just shook his head. “Uh, no thanks... I'm good, for tonight anyway, maybe later. I'll see you tomorrow night I guess.”

“Until then, Oates, keep it real!” Sam shouted and darted out the back door and out into the cold night air.

While Blaine had been to a few gay bars over the last few years, none were on the scale of the one he was in right now. Even by New York standards the building had to be pretty impressive for its immense size. Or did it just seem bigger when everything was in full swing? The music sure was rocking and it seemed like playing Madonna was en vogue and Blaine found himself cruising the crowds to the sounds of 'Crazy For You'. Instantly Blaine got the feeling he wasn't in Nevada anymore and he was getting quite a lot of attention and already a few invites to be showed a good time. Blaine took the compliments, made polite replies and friendly comments for anyone who gave him acknowledgement and carefully declined the blatant sexual advances. He was a man on a mission and in his search Blaine found his way to the bar, which was a good place to start. As soon as Blaine arrived, an attractive looking bartender made his way over and flashed him an award winning smile. 

“Hey there, gorgeous, you put on quite the show tonight,” he said in greeting.

“Thanks... that's nice to hear, I'd like to keep my job...” Blaine stuttered in reply.

Right when Blaine was about to order a drink a second bartender came over and placed a delicious looking cocktail in front of him. “Compliments from an admirer over yonder. Good job, newbie,” he explained and pointed to the fellow, situated two guys down from the right.

Blaine looked over to the man who lifted his drink while winking over his way and he merely smiled back in acknowledgement. The guy was pretty hot but Blaine didn't move from his spot because he hadn't planned on hooking up with anyone on the first day. “That was quick...” Blaine muttered to the remaining bartender.

“Not really, new blood is a big commodity here and as I said, you made quite the entrance,” he explained.

“Right, okay... say... any idea where the co-manager is? I'd like a word with him before I let loose tonight,” Blaine asked.

“Hummel's around, as he's running the place tonight... so you should bump into him at one point.”

“Great, so uh... what does he look like?”

“Oh trust me, when you see him, you'll know. He leaves quite the impression... so he's very hard to miss. Have a good look around and you're bound to find him, if he doesn't find you first,” he assured.

“Thanks...” Blaine replied, pausing for a name to be given, forgetting to say his own.

“Sebastian. Now I've got paying customers to attend to so be on your merry way,” Sebastian shooed and abandoned him without any warning.

Luck was not on Blaine's side and while he'd met a number of impressive guys (plenty of which whom made his heart race and lower areas stir) no one with the name Hummel had appeared so far. Blaine decided it was time for a break and when a guy invited him to the dance floor he instantly accepted.

Word around the club travelled fast and it didn't take long for any news to make its way to Kurt. He had informants everywhere and plenty of people who wanted to get in his good graces to keep him forever on the down low. This time his source of news came in the form of a hyper but sweet young man named Chandler.

“So the word is there's some guy looking for you, who's new,” Chandler whispered into Kurt's ear.

“When isn't there?” Kurt scoffed. There rarely was a night where some new hotshot didn't try his luck with Kurt and the only heat they usually got came from the sting of rejection. “Who is it this time?” he prompted.

Chandler was ready to give Kurt the details and he pressed up close to where he was leaning against the back of the wall. “Would you believe it's the John Oates doppelganger who was up on stage earlier? He's making quite the splash in the club and yet he's been asking around for you all night,” he explained.

Great, just what he didn't need, someone he'd have to deal with on a regular basis. If Mr. Oates wasn't careful he would find out pretty quick how that would get him nowhere. If that's what was even going on. Kurt knew firsthand how half the gossip flying around the club was warped and overblown as it went from person to person.“Thanks, guess I'll look for this guy and find out for myself what's up,” he said and pushed himself off from the wall to do just that.

Meanwhile Blaine was on his third drink and was becoming less worried about finding Hummel and if his performance had been well received. Judging by the attention he was getting on the dance floor, he'd done rather well. Though a number of the compliments he had received were about his good looks rather than his golden voice but he let it slide. Thank goodness he had bothered to change before heading out into the club, so there were no signs of his fake Oates persona.

“New boy, Hummel's on the hunt for you so look lively, he is close at hand,” a guy to Blaine's left whispered into his ear.

Snapped into awareness, Blaine scanned the area for any signs of Hummel and it didn't take much effort to find him. Sebastian's short description of the man in question quickly came to mind and now he saw how it fit. He had to be the most attractive guy Blaine had ever seen in his life, starting with his amazing hair and going all the way down to his long athletic legs and and finally ending at his bulky combat boots. But there was no grazing past his striking face, because Hummel was handsome concentrated. Then there were his intense blue eyes that even in the darkness of the club were so vibrant it was hard to look away. Blaine couldn't think of anyone who'd managed to pull off parachute pants so flawlessly until now. So entranced was Blaine from Hummel's appearance that as he made his way over to him, he wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings.

People moved fast in a club and right when Blaine was closing in on his target someone came out of nowhere and shoved past Blaine, launching right into the line of fire, causing the full drink that was in Hummel's hand to fling out and spill all over his body.

Kurt screeched when the cold beverage doused him and everyone nearby backed away like he was covered in blood. Now drenched and soaking wet, Hummel did not look amused. People gaped and gasped, waiting for the eruption and judging by Kurt's enraged face it wouldn't be long now. 

“Oh my god, I am so sorry!” Blaine blurted out with dismay.

The apology did little to help, since it was already too late. When Kurt’s icy stare fell over Blaine, what he saw made him shiver. Hummel's expression was no longer strikingly handsome but downright terrifying.

“You fucking imbecile! I'm soaked to the bone!” he bellowed. “You just made the list, buddy!” Kurt hissed and turned his nose up at his clumsy attacker and speed walked off in a huff.

“Oh, you're a dead-man now, honey,” a sassy voice from the crowd announced. 

Blaine chased after the still dripping man like he had some sort of death wish. Blaine could barely keep up with his pace and for a second he ended up losing him. Then, finally he caught sight of Hummel again, just in time to see him disappear through a back door. Blaine ran a hand through his hair as he let out a frustrated cry. Now what? He had no idea what to expect if went through that door. Would trying to make amends save him his job or only make matters worse and ensure he'd get the boot?

On the other side of the door was a Kurt whose rage was threatening to explode and whose loud swearing would have kept anyone at bay. Kurt hated getting drinks spilt on him, which dated back to him getting slushied at school, often on a daily basis. It hadn't helped that the beverage Kurt was just getting ready to drink was a daiquiri and so, full of strawberry flavoured slush. Fortunately Kurt always came prepared and in his office he kept a stash of emergency clothes. Any of the staff who were allowed to be in the back knew better than to approach Kurt right now so he was conveniently alone.

Kurt stripped off his soaked shirt first and took off his pants next, not caring if he was now standing dressed only in his boxer-briefs. He didn't bother to close his office door while he got ready to change. Suddenly Kurt heard a loud gasp and turned around to find the last man he'd ever want to see gaping at him.

Blaine currently looked like a deer caught in the headlights but after seeing the most perfect ass in the world, he couldn't help it. Only once his ability to think came back his attention was quickly directed to something aside from the shape of Hummel's amazing body.

At first Kurt didn't know why the intruder’s eyes widened in obvious surprise, or why his expression looked so pained. Then it dawned on him. Kurt was nearly naked, which meant the intruder could see the countless dark bruises that decorated his body. Kurt instantly felt exposed and insecure. 'If anyone found out about those...'. “What the fuck are you doing? Get out! You've got some nerve walking in on me changing!” 

Blaine stopped starting at the large bruise on Hummel's left rib cage so he could defend his honour. “I didn't, how was I to know?” Blaine argued.

“Yeah right, this area is clearly staff only!” Kurt yelled back.

When the man started yelling at him, that sure snapped Blaine out of his trance. Any initial attraction (or concerned sympathy) Blaine might have felt for him was quickly rendered moot. Hummel was way too angry about something that was clearly an accident. “I am staff!” Blaine snapped. Wasn't he supposed to be watching Blaine's performance on stage?

Kurt's face deadpanned as soon as he realized who the guy was. “You're the Oates singer?” he exclaimed in surprise. 

“The one you were supposed to be checking with for how our show went? Yeah, I'm that guy,” Blaine confirmed, his tone far from polite.

No matter if he was staff or not Kurt still didn't like the fact that Oates was sticking around while Kurt was practically naked. “Well sorry, I wasn't expecting someone who was newly hired to stumble onto me... wait, are you drunk?” he accused.

“No, I'm not drunk! I've had a few drinks but guys kept on buying them for me! What was I supposed to do?” Blaine said in defence.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “News flash, Oates, when guys buy you drinks... you don't have to take them. Or else you might be agreeing to more than you realize when you accept.”

“I wasn't on the clock or anything, and I gave up looking for you 'cause you're impossible to locate it seems!”

“I was trying to spare you my wrath, but seeing as you're still here when I'm like fucking nude, that courtesy is long gone!” Kurt remarked, completely ignoring the battered state his body was in.

Blaine threw his hands up in the air. That was it then. Somehow he'd managed to blow it and if all it took was him accidentally spilling a drink on a co-manager to get fired, maybe he didn't want the job so bad after all. Blaine fought to not pay attention to Kurt’s lack of clothing, but, well, he wasn’t a celibate priest. But right now Kurt's abrasive personality and inability to remain professional cancelled out any points gained by his good looks. “Fine! I can take a hint, I'll grab my stuff... good luck finding someone else on such short notice!” Blaine shouted as he started to leave.

Any chance for Kurt to admit he was overreacting and being unfair was quickly tossed aside. “You seriously think I would fire you over this? Please! I would never, no, you're not canned. It was obvious that the crowd liked your show and I'll admit you have a decent voice. But you still have a lot to learn if you want to make it in the East Village. So you better march your sorry ass back here tomorrow and do your little song and dance routine to please our paying customers!”

For the first time in Blaine's life, he was at a total loss for words and had no desire to be his normally charming self. “Fine by me! I'll show you I'm no kid and unlike some people, I'm also not a dramatic diva!” Blaine threw back.

Kurt let out an exasperated cry. He needed to end this before he'd wound up doing something stupid. “Get out. I've got a club to run and clothes to put on. I wouldn’t suggest holding your breath about getting back in my good graces, though,” Kurt snapped and with that, he slammed the door to his office right in Oates' face.

Sometimes when two people met it wasn't a magical moment where an instant connection was formed. All it would take was the would-be couple to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and bam, two very compatible people could come to hate each other in an instant.

“What a total jerk!” Blaine grumbled as he got as far away from Hummel as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

“Don't you find it exhausting to give 100% all the time, Rachel?” a tired sounding Kurt Hummel asked.

Normally Rachel wasn't the type to make early morning house calls like this, especially when Kurt had a rare full day off from work. Kurt treasured the days when he could celebrate the fact that he wasn't a morning person and got to lazily sleep in. Only, that day was not today, because there was Rachel, standing at Kurt's doorstep like she was an expected guest. Kurt really should have known better than to think Rachel would patiently wait for him to keep his promise.

Rachel's smile was sweet but formidable, so she was quickly granted access inside Kurt's lovely Chelsea apartment. “I'm glad you're going along with this so easily, Kurt,” she admitted.

What Kurt really wanted to do was throw Rachel out into the hallway and slam the door in her face. He still felt rather moody and the second he told her the reasons (excluding Oates boy) for his bad temper she'd test his ability to no end. “Who said I'm going to tell you what you want to know?” he challenged.

The two eyed one another in the front entrance for a while; such an evenly matched showdown was nothing new to them. Right from the start Kurt had a habit of keeping tight lipped when it came to his personal life and over the years Rachel had perfected how to pry information out of him.

“Because... if you refuse, you'll leave me no choice but to call in the big guns...” she warned.

That was it then, he'd lost. Because they both knew who Rachel was referring to and how Kurt wouldn't stand a chance against them. “Fuck! Don't bring them into this... you win...” he groaned in defeat.

Back in high school no one there had any clue about Rachel Berry's family, because it was her well-guarded secret. Only after Kurt had gained her trust (by telling her he was gay when they were fourteen) did she tell him how she had two gay dads. Hiram and Leroy Berry were two men in a loving, committed relationship, who, against all odds, got the child they longed to have. They were also Kurt's (unofficial) adoptive parents who'd taken him in when his real dad had died. If they found out about the attack, Kurt would never hear the end of it despite their best interests.

Rachel slipped off her jacket as she watched Kurt head over to his kitchen to make a pot of tea. 'He looked so stressed...' she thought with concern. 

“Before I tell you anything... I have terms,” Kurt said.

The vulnerability in Kurt's voice held Rachel's more pushy side at bay. “Alright,” she told him softly.

Kurt handed Rachel a cup of tea but he didn't bother to take one for himself or sit down, because he was too restless to keep still. The fact that Rachel was letting Kurt call the shots made it easier for him to share, but he was still nervous. “What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this apartment, Rachel... no one must know. That means you can't tell our dads or even Finn, can you manage that? Keeping in mind that knowing you, you'll want to the second I do,” Kurt questioned.

It almost hurt that Kurt would even have to ask her that. “Don't you trust me?” Rachel said.

Kurt had a tendency to turn to the dramatics, just like Rachel, and for once he realized now wasn't the time or place. “I do, sorry...”

“Then just tell me what happened,” Rachel pleaded.

Now there was nothing left to do but give in and retell the memories Kurt had tried so hard to forget. “I think it would be easier if I were to show you... just... don't freak out on me...”

Only after she nodded did Kurt start to unbutton his bright blue dress shirt and undid his pink and black printed zebra tie. He pulled the shirt off his shoulders and tossed it onto the nearby couch, going straight for his undershirt next. Now topless, the reason for his unease, bad temper, and resistance to tell his adoptive sister what was going on with him was finally revealed. Dark bruises ran across his torso, decorating his body and arms, along with small abrasions and shallow lacerations. It was hard to watch her reaction to seeing the battered state his body was in. When Kurt had looked in the mirror the morning after that horrible night he'd nearly broken down again.

“Oh my god, Kurt... you... what happened?” Rachel shouted in surprise as she rushed forward to grab onto Kurt's shoulders, only for him to flinch back in pain.

“Sorry! I'm okay... I know they look bad and my body’s super tender but you need to remember that I'm here and I'm okay. Also keep in mind I bruise super easy...” Kurt explained.

“What happened?” Rachel repeated.

Kurt flopped down into his arm chair and winced on impact, a foolish move to make but he was in no mood to slowly sit down. “It happened last Monday night... when I was walking home after stopping to make one final check in at the club. It was like... 2am or something and I decided to just walk the last stretch of my journey home. At first it was nothing out of the ordinary, typical Manhattan at that hour, a few noisy drunks, stuff like that. Then I walked by two guys who started making crude remarks that I soon realized were directed at me. Calling me the usual insults, ones I hear all the time and instantly ignore. I was still in my club attire so I guess I stood out like a gay sore thumb. When I paid no attention to them they decided to follow me and that's when their verbal taunts got worse. In my distraction I didn't realize the real danger I was in... not until I turned the corner and discovered I'd walked right into a trap. They'd herded me down an alleyway where two guys were lying in wait,” Kurt said, pausing to take a long breath.

“Oh Kurt...” Rachel whispered.

There was a good reason why Kurt didn't break down or start to cry while he was telling the story to Rachel. On that horrific night Kurt had come fully unhinged and cried out all of his pain without holding back. By the time he was finished there were no tears left in him to cry out, something he was grateful for now. “There was nowhere to run; it was five against one and no one was around to help me. I was on my own. When they came at me I tried to fight them off but it wasn't long before I hit the ground. They were relentless and I was so numb to the physical pain by this point I lashed out at them the only way I could, with words,” Kurt spat bitterly.

“Oh no, you didn't!” Rachel exclaimed.

Kurt threw his head back to let out a sarcastic laugh. None of what he was telling was humorous but the laughter still came. “I was a fucking idiot, Rachel, but throwing those hateful words back in their shocked faces felt so damned good. Too bad they turned out to be sore losers and that's when things... quickly escalated... the ring leader pulled a metal pipe on me,” Kurt confessed.

“What?” Rachel said with a gasp.

“Yeah, I was terrified... I really thought they wanted to kill me. They might have... but he only managed to hit me once... right here...” Kurt said, pointing to the darkest bruise on his left side of his waist. “At the exact time he took a swing at me we heard police sirens. So I didn't take the full force of the blow and I managed to get away. The ironic thing was... the cops weren't even coming to my rescue, it was just a crazy fluke.”

“What did you do?”

“I ran for my life, they called after me, but I had a decent head start so I lost them but kept on running. Then I hid behind a dumpster for a solid hour until I was sure they were gone. Once I gained the courage to move I ran straight home, collapsed inside my apartment and fell apart,” Kurt finished.

Sure enough, as soon as Kurt's story was done Rachel lashed out. “Kurt! You should have called me! Called anyone! Why do you always insist on being alone during the hardest points of your life?” she cried.

“I couldn't face anyone Rachel! I was too broken down to even deal with the people I love!” Kurt shouted back.

“Then you should have at least called me after you'd recovered enough!” Rachel countered.

“I was trying to put it behind me, so I could move on with my life!”

Rachel forced herself to calm down, because having a shouting match wouldn't do either of them any good. So she changed tactics and came to stand in front of Kurt, who'd gotten up to put his undershirt back on. “Kurt, why couldn't you have at least told me sooner?” she asked softly.

This time Kurt didn't pull away or flinch when Rachel reached out to touch the sides of his face; he placed his own hands over hers. He was crying now, tears he wanted so very much to hold in, but it was no use. “I just wanted that horrible night to go away... I didn't want to relive it, I was so scared Rachel. If I were to stop and think about how unfair the world is then my entire life could pass me by. I owe it to myself... and Adam... to keep living in the now, not the then,” Kurt replied.

“Did you at least report the attack?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Why? What good would that have done? Why do I have to be the one to put my life on the line? I don't care if people think I took the coward’s path. Nothing would have come of it... I don't know who they were and gay bashings aren't very top priority as far as crimes go either,” Kurt dismissed.

At first Rachel was about to protest, which would only set off another heated argument but she caught herself in time to stop. Kurt didn't need that, he was acting too stubborn and all because he was still scared on the inside. Kurt's life was full of loss, far too much that any one person (especially one so young) should have to endure. So she climbed into Kurt's lap, and hugged him tight.

Kurt took what Rachel was offering him and he finally allowed himself to cry out the left over tears. Rachel joined in and they sobbed in each other’s arms for a long while; until the unconditional support and comfort they gave each other helped them recover. 

“Thanks, I really needed that...” Kurt breathed.

“Has there been any sign of them since then?” Rachel demanded.

Kurt shook his head. “No... nothing... and the next day I went to the clinic and got myself checked out. I'm okay, amazingly, they didn't break any bones and there was no internal bleeding. Just a lot of bruises and a few abrasions. I'm still sore but already the worst is over and honestly... I just want to forget about the whole thing and get on with my life,” Kurt repeated with a tired sigh.

Rachel scooted off of Kurt's lap, went over to his impressive collection of VHS tapes and started to look for a good movie to watch. “Then we're pampering ourselves today, Kurt. It's your day off right?” she asked Kurt, who nodded in confirmation.

Every once in a while Kurt indulged in a total day off from both of his jobs and today was such a day. That was the whole reason he'd given in to telling Rachel what was bothering him because he'd have ample time to recover. It also meant he didn't have to deal with that stupid Oates guy, who Kurt refused to apologize to. Only when he'd done enough to redeem himself would Kurt begin to let up and it was going to take a lot. Right now he was more inclined to enjoy a day of self-indulgence with his favourite gal pal and not worry about any curly haired boys. “Sounds good to me,” Kurt agreed.  
______________________________________________________________________________

To his surprised relief, there was no need for Blaine to avoid Hummel the following day at work, since the man in question wasn't around. His day kept on getting better when Stephan appeared after his and Sam's first full show to say they'd done a bang up job. With his job secure and going well, Blaine was fine to relax, though he was a little curious about Hummel (generally speaking). But he was too reluctant to voice any of the impressions Blaine had made of Hummel so far, since none were good. Hummel, for all his snarky nature, seemed to be very adored (worshipped even) and by none more than Stephan. 

“So Blaine, I hear your first encounter with my second in command didn't go so well,” Stephan began, right when Blaine had planned to head for home.

“Man, word sure gets around this place pretty quick... that's something I need to remember,” Blaine muttered. But then he realized this was his boss he was talking to and he blushed a little, looking far younger than his twenty-six years. “Honestly... no, it did not. I think I've made an enemy there...” he admitted too quickly to stop himself. “Which was completely unintentional!”

Stephan laughed loudly, patting Blaine hard on the shoulder. “Oh Blaine, don't worry... Hummel is a tough one yes... but he's very fair. Just keep doing what you're doing and he'll come around, you'll see,” he assured.

'I'm not sure I want him to...' Blaine thought to himself. So far Blaine's brush with Hummel had left him with a lasting impression, one he doubted could be easily changed, because no amount of good looks should make up for acting that rude. Blaine was usually a firm believer that everyone deserved a second chance but even he had his limits. The whole club was already talking (more like gossiping) about the showdown last night and how Blaine was a man with a death sentence. Nobody made it at the club without Hummel's blessing, he might only be the co-manager but he was the one person everyone, both staff and club goers alike, tried to please the most. What in the world had he done to become so exalted? Maybe the questions Blaine really should be asking were 'whom' and 'how many.'

Right when Blaine was letting his mind wander a bit too much, Sam came to his rescue, bringing back his usual friendly grin. What came next was an enjoyable evening where Stephan bought them both a drink before getting back to work, and Blaine and Sam spent the night bonding over their common interests. The end result left both men a little more than merely tipsy but not wasted, which meant they just felt rather silly. 

“God! I can't remember the last time I've felt this good, well... when I'm not with a girl anyway,” Sam admitted with a merry sigh.

Blaine laughed; he knew the feeling, aside from the fact that in Blaine's case he'd feel this good when he was with a guy instead of a girl. Life was so stressful at times. He'd gone from worry about surviving high school, coming out, getting his life together at college and now, he was stressing over making enough money to keep afloat. “How about you come back to my place? The apartment I'm at isn't much...” 

“It will beat the hotel I'm used to, so yeah... I'll come over... just... I hope you're not expecting anything...” Sam teased.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “How's the whole passing off as gay thing going for you?” he asked.

Sam shrugged. “Okay I guess. I'm starting to think it wasn't necessary, but I really had no idea what to expect. I mean, gay guys have every reason to be suspicious of straight guys.”

“Yes, but then hopefully most of us know not to judge every single straight person. I think maybe you should at least tell Stephan... he seems trustworthy,” Blaine offered. 'Unlike Hummel,' Blaine added begrudgingly to himself.

“I'll keep that in mind,” Sam said.

They headed over to Blaine's little New York apartment next, which wasn't in the best location as far as the city went but Blaine was well aware there were way worse places to live. “So just to warn you... my roommate, Hunter, he's... kind of a prick,” Blaine admitted as they made it to his front door.

“In the good kind of way?” Sam asked absentmindedly.

Blaine laughed. “No... he's horrible... I honestly swear he could be a drug dealer... or a super villain... I dunno. Anyway, hopefully he's not there... cause I've been lucking out when it comes to avoiding jerks today,” he explained.

Sam walked inside the small two bedroom apartment and eyed Blaine. “You mean what happened between you and Hummel?”

Blaine's shoulders sagged. “Oh god not you too, everyone seems to know! I swear I wasn't trying to get into his pants! I just wanted to see what he thought about our first performance! Spilling his drink on him wasn't my fault either... or--” Blaine began but he quickly cut himself off mid-sentence. He'd almost forgotten how he'd decided not to tell anyone about walking in on Hummel while was changing or the bruises he'd seen. “... anything else you might have heard,” he quickly added.

“I didn't hear much, just about the drink. Do people really think you want to nail him?” Sam asked curiously.

“Apparently... how that started I have no idea,” Blaine said with a tired sigh.

“He is pretty hot though...” Sam started, only to blink at Blaine's stunned expression. “What? Just because I'm straight doesn't mean I can't recognize when a guy’s good looking. You can't deny that Hummel's a total ten, Blaine,” he challenged.

“I'm not trying to. Yeah he's hot, drop dead gorgeous even... his eyes are so blue and don't get me started on his ass...” Blaine began to babble.

“Maybe you do wanna nail him?” Sam playfully observed.

“No, I most certainly do not! He's pretty but not my type... at all. I don't like guys who lay judgement on others so easily. I sure didn't find his screaming at me that attractive either,” Blaine grumbled begrudgingly.

“Well, you better be prepared to face him tomorrow,” Sam warned.

“I'll try... but at least I'll be too focused on work for the most part. Um, want a beer?” Blaine offered as he went to the fridge.

“I dunno, I've probably had enough already. I don't like puking if I can help it,” Sam replied.

“Well... as it turns out, I don't have any to offer you... because Hunter fucking drank them all, AGAIN!” Blaine yelled in frustration. “I tell you... Hunter is one of the straight guys who ruins it for the good ones like you, Sam,” he added.

“I'm surprised you're still living here then.”

Blaine came back and handed Sam a bottle of Coke as a substitute and led him to his bedroom. He would have let them hang in the living room but there was no telling when Hunter might be back. More often than not he came at the worst possible time and Blaine was very glad he hadn't had a guy over after a date yet.

Inside Blaine's tiny room were countless signs of his love of music, but there weren't many personal belongings. Blaine hadn't kept much when he'd moved to New York from Nevada. He'd wanted a fresh start on life and one that didn't include bitter memories of his ex. “So this is it, my bedroom,” Blaine announced.

“Classy. No way! You have the Rumours album? That's one of my all-time faves!” Sam yelled.

“Mine too! Here lemme put it on, my record player was the only awkward thing I brought with me from Nevada. It took me too long to afford to just abandon or sell,” Blaine muttered as he put the record on and sat back on the bed.

“You must have had a pretty nasty break up then,” Sam concluded.

“He cheated on me, for well over a year, behind my back and with countless guys,” Blaine explained.

“Ouch,” Sam said as he held out his Coke bottle.

Blaine clinked his together with Sam's. “Here's to a great new start,” he offered.

“I'll drink to that,” Sam agreed.

Hunter made his appearance when 'Oh Daddy' was playing and true to his impeccable timing, it was right when Sam was heading out of the bathroom. Hunter eyed Sam up and down and smirked evilly at finding him there in his home.

“Well, well, well, looks like I finally get to see Blaine's type, who knew he'd be into blonds,” Hunter taunted. “But with a mouth that large I can see why...”

Sam might have been a nice guy but he wasn't as polite as Blaine, so he had no trouble in giving Hunter the back talk he deserved. “Wow, Blaine's right, you are a douche,” he replied.

By this point Blaine already had dashed into the living room to referee. “This is Sam, Hunter. He's just a friend of mine,” Blaine corrected.

Sure enough, and true to his uncaring nature, Hunter let out a mocking laugh in response. “Oh please, when it comes to you gays there's no one you wouldn't fuck. But before you start doing butt stuff you better go to Blondie’s place. These walls are thin as fuck,” Hunter threw back.

Blaine resisted the urge to say what he really wanted, for the hundredth (or thousandth) time since he'd moved in roughly a week and a half ago. “Give it a rest, Hunter, I'm too worn out from work to tell you how wrong you are,” Blaine remarked.

Hunter was already bored of the conversation and walked into his room without another word, leaving Blaine and Sam alone and free from his rude comments.

“Welcome to my world, anyway. Want me to walk you to the subway?” Blaine offered. 

Sam shook his head. “Naw, I'm good,” he assured.

“Are you sure? These streets aren't exactly safe at night...” Blaine started to protest.

“I'm from New York Blaine, I'll be okay... thanks though, really I think it's tougher for you in here than out on the streets.”

“Boy is that ever true. I'll see you at work tomorrow.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Work, when you had more than one job, meant the days were extra long and the nights longer still. So when Kurt and Blaine arrived at the club, neither were in an agreeable mood. But in this instance the main cause for their prickly tempers was simple exhaustion. Kurt was the first to arrive, as he usually did and he instantly hid his tiredness under a professional smile. 

Today was just another day at the races. He'd make his usual rounds and see that everything was in order so they made a good profit, which was hardly a worry, as the club did very well in that department but Kurt knew there was no such thing as total security. New clubs were opening (and closing down) all the time and most tried to knock 'Dare to Flare' off from its top position. But no amount of drink deals or cute boys could lure most of the establishment’s loyal customers away, because Kurt knew how to keep things interesting. Be it fun theme nights or two for one shots, cutting edge music or creating a sexy paradise, whatever he was doing worked very well.

Currently Kurt was backstage and had the annoying task of delivering the cover band's set list for the evening, which meant he had to come face to face with the very person he'd wanted to forget even existed. But try as he might there was no forgetting him, and fuck it all, Oates was just as cute as Kurt remembered. That was the most infuriating thing about him, next to him spilling a drink and walking in on him changing. Oates was dreamy and attractive and in any other instances, Kurt would have found him quite irresistible. But for one he was a new employee thing and they were strictly off limits (a self-imposed rule) and for another he was still on Kurt's list. 

“Okay Oates, here's your set list,” Kurt said with cold indifference as he shoved the stapled papers in his face.

Blaine barely had a chance to react. Hummel had come out of nowhere and was already treating him like dirt. He was almost glad; if he kept the cold bully act up then Blaine could continue despising him without any guilt. He had intended to keep his mouth shut, since he was his boss in a way and Stephan seemed to equally share his manager duties with Hummel, if not more so but then he looked at the songs. “Hold on a second, why is 'Open All Night' on here... and ‘One on One’? Those weren't in the original pick!” Blaine questioned.

Kurt turned around to give Oates an icy stare; at least he didn't have his ridiculous looking moustache on yet. “I added them. I thought you wouldn't protest... surely you must know those songs.” 

“Of course I do, only we haven't had any chance to practice them! You were the one to tell me that I better bring it on stage. So isn't adding these last minute kinda risky?”

“If you don't think you can manage then I'll remove them. We wouldn't want you to tank up there.”

“Like that would happen,” Blaine scoffed.

Neither man was used to arguing with another person so easily. Really both couldn't even admit to themselves that they were acting very childish (and stubborn).

“Good. As a thank you I'll make sure Sam and I are ready to perform both those songs and the entire H20 album next weekend,” Blaine sassed.

Kurt's tense body language never wavered; he merely glided over to Oates, took the paper, crossed out the two added songs with his pen and handed it back. The two eyed one another in angry silence for a while after that. It was quite the stand-off and unfortunately no one was around to watch the spectacle unfold.

“You don't like me, do you?” Blaine asked at point blank.

“Not particularly, no,” Kurt answered honestly. “But you're an employee here so whatever I may personally feel will not affect our work relationship. You're clearly a hard and dedicated worker... just keep away from me, my drinks and my office, and you and I will be okay.”

Blaine rolled his eyes. The nerve of this guy, who did he think he was? God of the gay club scene or something? He was really starting to think that Hummel had slept his way around the place to gain so much popularity. As much as Blaine hated to admit, that was common in the gay club scene and even he could barely resist it at times. Since moving to New York and experiencing a city where gay men were more forward, he'd been tempted more than once to have a hot fling. Really there was no reason to hold back. Sex felt good and at the club it sure was easy to come by, so why resist? The one thing he knew for sure was that Hummel would never make the list of people he wanted to hook up with.

Kurt left without another word and headed off to his next task, thus ending the little confrontation without any clear winner. Kurt didn't like how Oates had been undressing him with his eyes (or so he thought), as if Kurt would like that somehow. Kurt knew all about the many rumours circling around the club about him, a number of which were actually true, though nothing truly scandalous had happened in the past few years, which was understandable considering the hardship he'd gone through in losing Adam. Even when he'd recovered enough to get back out there, trying to practice safe sex when you were a gay man was difficult at times. So when it came to sexual partners, his list wasn't very impressive (despite what most people thought). Which suited Kurt just fine anyway, he liked sex as much as the next guy but he wasn't that hard up. In reality Kurt was still very much a romantic at heart. He wanted to date and find a boyfriend to love but so far, no one special had come his way.

“He'll learn soon enough that getting me into bed isn't going to happen,” Kurt said to himself as he stormed off, far away from Oates.

Out on the dance floor everything was going smoothly and Blaine was trying to enjoy a drink after another day’s work being over with. But Hummel was still in his line of vision, talking (more like flirting) with that bartender Sebastian, thus making it hard for him to keep positive. The looks Hummel gave Sebastian, right out for all to see, were totally obscene, even for this place. For fuck's sake, Sebastian practically had his tongue in Hummel's ear, and whatever he said made the co-manager break out laughing more than once.

“You know... if you want to be better acquainted with Hummel you need to do more than make eyes at him from here, Oates,” a voice instructed from behind.

Blaine whirled around to see a cocky looking young man with green eyes, dark brown hair that swept down over the left side of his face, who like most of the regulars was hot, but had no use for tact. Blaine was beginning to think he'd never shake his nickname or the stupid rumour about how he wanted to nail Hummel at this rate. “Does every new guy want to fuck him or something?” Blaine asked.

“Usually, but there's good reason to,” Eli confirmed.

“How did someone so young even get to be co-manager?” Blaine demanded, very much wanting to change the subject to something other than Hummel's sex appeal.

“For one thing he's older than he looks. He's nearing thirty and he's been working at this club for the past ten years,” Eli explained.

Blaine couldn't stop his mouth from falling open; he wasn't sure which piece of news was more shocking. Blaine hadn't thought Hummel wasn't that much older than himself, though he could relate when it came to looking young; Blaine got ID'd at bars all the time. “He got a job here that young?Fuck...” 

"Anyway, he's not an easy one to land. Which is why guys usually try so hard, but who knows, you could be one of the few who get lucky,” Eli urged.

Blaine turned his nose up at the very idea. “No thank you,” he scoffed.

“Oh, in case you were wondering, my name's Eli Clemmens, I go by Eli C for short though, lemme buy you a drink, Oates,” Eli offered flirtatiously.

“My actual name is Blaine,” Blaine corrected.

“Well you've already got a nickname, so I advise you learn to live with it,” Eli suggested.

“I bet I know who started that,” Blaine grumbled. He didn't care so much about the nickname or it sticking so quickly. He was more annoyed at how everyone instantly went along with it and how no one wanted to be the one to reveal Blaine's first name to Hummel. It almost made him feel like was a mindless drone who didn't need one to work there.

Eli, due to Blaine's readable features, could take a guess at what he was thinking. “Don't take it too personally. It's way better than Hummel not knowing who you are,” he explained.

Blaine doubted that very much. As the days passed Blaine was more curious (and again, annoyed) by Hummel's popularity. “What the hell did he do to become such a god here?” he asked in a demanding tone.

Eli shrugged, but before he could begin to answer, the man in question (who had eyes like a hawk and ears like... whatever animal was known for good hearing) stepped up behind Blaine.

“Do you really wanna know, Oates? The truth might shock you,” Kurt taunted.

Blaine wished he could coolly turn around and mimic Hummel's smugness but it wasn't in his nature, so he did his best to keep his demeanour relaxed. The stuffy attitude was still there but Hummel seemed different, a little less rigid even. This probably meant that Blaine was going to get his ear chewed out with no restraint. “I meant no offence,” Blaine stated.

Kurt wasn't on the clock officially so this meant his boss face was off and he could act a little more catty than usual. Kurt looked over at Eli, who instantly backed off and gave up his seat for Kurt to take. “Where do you want to begin? I can tell you wanna ask me how many guys I must have fucked to get my job. If you ask around no one will come close to the number...”

Blaine was aghast. 'How could he so easily admit he'd....' he thought with horror, until Blaine saw Hummel's smirk. The bastard was messing with him! “How do I know anything you'll tell me is the truth?” he threw back.

“You won't, but I wasn't planning to lie to you. Look, let me give you some advice. I've seen guys like you before-” Kurt began.

“You don't know a thing about me, so don't act like you know my life,” Blaine interrupted.

Kurt momentarily stopped his intended lecture to take that into account, as it was a valid claim. “Fine, my apologizes for that, but you really need to be careful. Rumours run around here like wild fire. Sometimes it's better to be known for the racy stuff cause you do not want to be thrown into the boring lot, no one there lasts for long,” Kurt warned.

“You're not making much sense. I'll get along on my own just fine, without your bad advice,” Blaine assured.

“Fine, have it your way, you can do whatever or whomever you like. It's none of my business, just...”

“Do my job up on stage, I know... I heard you the first time,” Blaine said in annoyance.

“I was actually going to say something else, but you don't need my help do you?” Kurt sassed.

Again, Blaine hardly felt like apologizing for the misunderstanding. “Feel free to go back to whatever or whoever...” Blaine began, pausing to nod over to Sebastian at the bar. “...you were planning to do. I don't need your help,” he said. 'Or your approval,' he thought.

There was no need to say those final words out loud. Kurt could read them loud and clear by Oates' resentful glare. That meant there was one employee Kurt wouldn't bother with reaching out to make sure they felt welcome and appreciated. Oates didn't need it, Kurt gathered, he was already the talk of the place and as long as Kurt wasn't involved he couldn't care less. “Right, I'll do that then, Oates,” Kurt said in closing.

“Wow, talk about getting off on a bad start,” Eli said as he came to stand beside Blaine.

“You think?” Blaine replied sarcastically.  
___________________________________________________________________________

Living in New York rarely ensured a life full of glamourous parties. More often than not it was quite ordinary. Take chores for instance: laundry still needed to be regularly tended to and most New Yorkers (at least those without cash to burn) went to laundromats to clean their clothes.

In this instance Blaine didn't mind his current lackluster location at all, situated at his neighbourhood laundromat. Hunter had called him a short while ago, telling him to get out of the apartment because he was bringing someone back there that night. While he was relieved that his normally inconsiderate roommate had bothered to call, Blaine got the feeling Hunter was also insinuating that Blaine would somehow cramp his style. There was certainly no risk of Blaine stealing his dates away. Whatever the reason, Blaine needed to do laundry anyway and judging by the amount he'd neglected, the job would keep in him occupied for hours.

The place was empty so Blaine chose to use that to his advantage and was glad he'd brought his portable tape deck along. If Blaine had any chance to wipe that superior grin off of Hummel's face when he and Sam performed the H2O album on the weekend, he'd have to give it his all. That meant practising the numbers whenever the chance arose and now was a good a time as any. Only the trouble was, in his enthusiasm, Blaine quickly forgot he was in a public place. With the laundromat open for business as usual, when someone did step inside Blaine was too lost off in his own musical world to notice.

Right as Blaine was belting out the chorus to 'Art of Heartbreak' and pulling off a flawless spin, did he turn around to finally notice the pretty Asian girl on his left who was now staring at him apprehensively. Blaine stopped his impressive, albeit slightly silly dance moves to flash a sheepish grin. “Sorry! I swear I'm not a crazy person,” Blaine said in apology.

The woeful look of remorse on Blaine's handsome face was enough to make the girl's expression soften. “Oh good, because I was having trouble figuring out if you were... or are just really into Hall & Oates,” she admitted.

The honest (and cute) confession caused Blaine to laugh; he was glad some people in the world could still be charming. “Honestly... I might be a bit of both but not in a dangerous way I can assure you. Oh, I'm Blaine by the way,” he said in greeting.

“Tina.”

Blaine smiled again. “Well then Tina, let me just turn this distracting music off...” he began.

“You don't need to do that; I was actually enjoying your performance. You're a really good singer. Do you take requests?” Tina asked playfully.

Blaine's charming smile never wavered and true to the young man’s warm nature, he willingly gave her his complete attention. Blaine playfully smiled at Tina as he kept his posture relaxed, because he felt that at ease with her. “Heck, considering how you're cutting me some slack, it would be my pleasure. What would you like to hear? Mind you all I have with me is my H2O cassette so if you want musical back up, that will limit your options,” Blaine warned. 

“Can I look at the case to see my options?” Tina requested.

Blaine graciously handed her the tape case and set to going through his whites as Tina considered her song choices. This was just the sort of break from his usual run in with abrasive jerks that Blaine needed.

“Ooh, can you sing Italian Girls?” Tina asked.

Funnily enough that song was one Blaine wasn't sure he'd end up singing, at least not until he'd run it by Hummel to change the lyrics to Italian Boys. He was still game though and so Blaine skipped back to his cassette player and tried to act natural as he flipped the tape to side B. After two attempts he eventually fast forwarded and rewound the tape enough to reach the right song. “Here goes, let's just hope no one else comes into clean their clothes. Or at least, not anyone who dislikes Hall & Oates,” Blaine said. 

As soon as the music started Blaine snapped back into his performer mode and focused on entertaining Tina, who was proving to be a perfect audience. She cheered him on, clapping at his attempts to show off and never did Blaine feel like he was being ogled like a prime piece of meat. Since there was no stage separating the pair Blaine danced over to Tina and had her join in, twirling her around until she couldn't stop laughing. When Blaine went so far as to jump onto the nearest dryer and rock it out John Oates style, complete with air guitar, he was too lost in the music to notice Tina's fluttering eyes.

By the end of the impromptu mini concert, Blaine felt he'd received true therapy for his tired soul, restoring his faith in humanity. He already felt eons better and Blaine tried to think of a way he could repay Tina that they could both enjoy. Blaine took a gracious bow as Tina gave him a loud round of applause, the acoustics in the roomed proving to be quite decent. “Thank you Tina, that was really fun!” Blaine wheezed, still feeling a little winded.

Tina smiled, twirling a strand of hair with her finger as she did. “Me too! It sure made my trip to the laundromat way more enjoyable,” she agreed.

Any chore, no matter how mundane could be entertaining and it all depended on who it was spent with. Both Tina and Blaine showed how they were blessed (and sometimes cursed) with the gift for gab and spent the task of washing their clothes gabbing away. Already Blaine liked Tina a great deal. She was a college senior at NYU who worked at a dance studio part-time, and was also a fellow Bangles fan. Too bad Sam was busy working at one of his other jobs because he bet Tina would get along with his friend rather well. Blaine made a mental note to slip him into the conversation at an appropriate point so he could try to play match maker.

For once Blaine was more the listener than the talker but Tina didn't seem to mind and kept their conversation going. Blaine still made sure whenever she asked him questions he shared what he felt comfortable with. He decided to go with his usual story of how he had recently moved from Nevada but didn't bother to elaborate much more about his past whereabouts before relocating to New York. One thing he totally skimmed across was the matter of his sexual orientation, only because an opening had yet to come up. 

“So Tina, I happen to know a great little restaurant that is right around the corner? I dunno about you but I'm starved. Who knew doing laundry could work up such an appetite? What do you say, care to join me?” Blaine suggested.

Tina's face lit up with delight from the invite, she was hoping Blaine would finally clue in enough to make a move. Times were more modern when it came to courtship rituals, so normally Tina would have acted more forward with her intentions, but Blaine had been sending her mixed signals since they'd met. “I'd love to! I'll even carry my laundry bag around too.”

There was little need for that sacrifice, not when Blaine, ever the gentleman, insisted on carrying both their bags of laundry, even if it was a struggle for him. Good thing the place was nearby and nearly empty so it was easy to commandeer two tables for themselves and their wash. Once Blaine finished recommending to Tina what she should order, Blaine spent the wait for their meal trying to think of possible topics to bring up, but everything that came to mind so far sounded too personal or boring. Then there was topic Blaine was still reluctant to breach, the fact that he was an out gay man. He'd come out of the closet nearly a decade ago and yet letting the truth be known, especially to people he'd just me, was as challenging as ever. At times Blaine often felt like he was obligated to introduce himself as 'Blaine Anderson, gay', at least when he wasn't in his subculture’s turf. 

“So Blaine, what's your opinion of New York so far?” asked Tina, who'd noticed the drop in their conversation.

Here was a question Blaine had no trouble answering, “I love it here! But I always knew I would. I think the biggest thing since coming to live here is discovering the unappealing sides of the city and getting used to them. It's hectic crazy at times, all the people, traffic, drunks. You hear things about Manhattan... but you don't get what people mean until you're living here yourself for real,” Blaine started to ramble.

“I hear you there and when I moved here nearly four years ago I had exams to deal with as well,” Tina said.

Just the idea of Blaine attempting to adapt to New York as a college freshman made him chuckle. Maybe he would have had a more adventurous experience, when it came to personal life at least. Sure he'd dated a bit, lost his virginity even, but such encounters were few and far between by his judgement. But when the alternative was to remain in the closet and have to sneak around, Blaine knew his choice to come out at college had been right (but not easy).

“Did you... come here on your own?” Tina asked cryptically.

Blaine nodded. “Yes, I'm not involved with anyone right now... if that's what you're asking,” Blaine said, acting as relaxed as usual.

“Me either, I mean... I'm not with anyone...” Tina added coyly.

Unfortunately for her, Blaine mistook Tina's dropped hints for platonic coaxing. “But when it comes to me, I'm hoping that will change...” he began, pausing to glance shyly over at Tina. That bashful grin slowly turned to something more nervous in nature as time went on. What made Blaine finally decide to go for it and just let the fact be known was he didn't think Tina's reaction to the news would be at all negative. “... considering the size of the gay community here... which has been quite an eye opener, to say the very least,” Blaine dropped. 

While not exactly negative, Tina's response to the word 'gay' being uttered was anything but the reaction he'd anticipated. Tina eyes widened and her whole body tensed, dropping her fork before the food on it could make it to her mouth. “Are you gay?” she nearly shouted.

Blaine was now equally surprised, also relieved that there was no one in the restaurant near enough to hear her outburst. “Yeah, obviously... wait... didn't you know that?” Blaine stammered.

“Obviously not!” Tina pointed out.

Alarmed and embarrassed, Blaine thought back to their past conversations and how his tendency to give his full attention could be taken the wrong way. Not to mention the countless charming smiles and sassy remarks that he now realized were quite flirty. “Sorry, I'm still not used to... I never know when to say...” Blaine struggled, unsure how to word himself properly to make amends. “Should I go?” Blaine politely offered.

At first Tina made no immediate reply, only because she (like Blaine) wasn't sure what to say in this instance. But when Blaine took her silence as an obvious yes and tried to leave, she finally acted. She grabbed and pulled him to to sit back down at the table.“You don't need to go Blaine, please... stay,” she pleaded.

It was hard for Blaine to hide his relief at not being rejected by her, but he managed (somewhat) and only let out a little sigh in the end. “Okay,” he said softly.

“I'm surprised of course but it's not like I have a problem with gay men. It's just... I thought... that you and I...”

“You thought I was going to ask you out on a date?”

Tina nodded. “We hit it off so well and you were acting all flirty...” she admitted.

Blaine couldn't stop himself from smacking his forehead with his hand, he felt like a complete idiot. “I'm so sorry Tina, I am such a hopeless case when it comes to girls and romantic interest. Considering my track records back in college, I clearly still need to work on that,” he grumbled in annoyance.

The fact that Blaine felt more remorse than he should made it far easier for Tina to forgive and forget. If he wasn't dating material, Blaine could still become a good friend, so her night wasn't totally ruined. “It's okay, the confusion wasn't intentional,” Tina assured.

“Good, because I do like you Tina, a lot, just... not in that way,” Blaine told her.

Tina's sweet smile was back. “I've always secretly wanted a gay best friend,” she teased.

Blaine laughed at her joke. “I tell you though, being an out gay man in this day and age sure is tough at times.”

“Which I take it, is the reason a catch like you is still single?”

“I have no idea, but I should admit since moving here I have been focusing more on settling and finding work than getting any dates,” Blaine confessed.

“Sometimes I can't stop thinking how there are supposed to be so many wonderful people in Manhattan but I never get to meet any. I don't want to sound desperate because I don't need a man in my life to be happy. But would it be so bad to experience some good old fashioned romance for once?” Tina complained.

“You're talking my language Tina. Not all gay men just want to have casual sex. I want that connection, to find someone I can not only fall desperately in love with but who I can also trust with all my heart. Right now I'm just biding my time until the right guy comes along, or I have time to go looking for him,” Blaine explained.

Tina grinned at him as she lifted her ice tea in the air. “Here's hoping for the both of us then,” she announced.

Blaine raised his own glass and toasted to the both of them finding their true loves, truly hoping their wish would come true. He knew better than to think love would find him if all he did was sit and wait though. Blaine fully intended to jump back into the dating scene eventually, but for now he was more in the mood for something casual and fun (a fact he kept to himself). Putting that desire aside for the moment, Blaine remembered there was a quality guy he already knew. “Funnily enough I already know someone you'd like. A work buddy of mine... and he's straight, I swear!” Blaine said.

“Really?” Tina said, perking up to the possibility.

“His name is Sam, he's 21, a local New Yorker... oh, and did I mention he has the body of a Greek god?” Blaine described. “Best of all, he's a real nice guy too,” he quickly added, nearly leaving out his best quality.

“I guess I should make it my personal mission to find someone for you next. To make this an even exchange,” Tina remarked.

Whether she meant it or not Blaine's cheerful response would have still been the same. “I think I'll hold you to that.”  
____________________________________________________________________________

After spending a fun evening with Tina, Blaine eventually made his way back home and hoped he could make it to his room without any awkward encounters. He had no idea if Hunter was the type of guy who had his female guests stay for the night or not, he only hoped they were done at this hour. Blaine used the last of his strength to cart his bag of freshly cleaned clothes through the door and into the common area (there were way too many flights of stairs for his liking). All seemed peaceful at first, until Blaine heard a loud crash coming from the other side of Hunter's closed bedroom door. “How can he still be at it?” Blaine said with a frustrated cry. He'd been gone for nearly eight hours, was Hunter some sort of sex machine or was he already on a second hook-up?

Already feeling enough secondhand embarrassment from the mere idea of overhearing his roommate during rough sex, things got even worse. There was a loud thud against the wall and Blaine could make out what had to be shouts in a fit of passion. Great, whoever Hunter had in there was a screamer, just what he didn't need. But as he attempted to creep by unnoticed, something about that high pitched voice seemed disconcertingly familiar.

“What a rush!” the second but still unknown voice exclaimed.

“You're welcome,” Hunter replied in his normal self-absorbed tone.

“Aren't you going to clean up that broken lamp, it's a safety hazard,” the other voice asked saucily.

“So are you, with an ass like that!” Hunter threw back.

Blaine froze in place. 'Fuck.' But there was no denying it, especially not when the door opened to reveal a still naked Hunter and recognizable (and equally nude) Hummel pushed up beside him.

Hunter’s eyes fell on Blaine and the only change to his usual demeanour was for him to frown at his roommate's return. “Didn't I tell you to scram?”

Blaine never got the chance to reply, not that he could have. All it took was one look at his gaping mouth for Hummel to push Hunter aside and slam the door right in his surprised face.

“That was rude... and this is me talking,” Hunter commented, albeit sarcastically because he was delighted by the move.

Of all the people who lived in New York, why did Hunter's roommate need to be him? Hadn't Kurt been through enough grief in his life?

Back on the other side of the now closed door, Blaine's reaction was far less dramatic but that was only because he was stuck in an infinite delayed reaction brought on by shock. It hardly seemed possible, starting off with the fact that his supposedly straight roommate’s hook up was none other than his secondary boss.

Hunter watched as Kurt was now getting dressed when up until seconds ago, showed every signs of wanting to go for another round (or several). “What gives? Why the hell are you bailing? 'Cause you sure as hell enjoyed my sexual talents back there,” he grumbled.

“I know your roommate, he works at my club,” Kurt explained.

“Small world,” Hunter replied sarcastically. “I can make him leave, easily,” he added.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Don't waste your energy.”

One of the reasons Kurt even bothered with Hunter, when it came to his sexual urges at least, was because he never visited Flare or any gay establishment for that matter. Apparently Hunter was bisexual and Kurt hardly cared if he slept with women; he was still a bit of a tool at times. But Hunter sure knew how to fuck and he was a fellow versatile to boot, who liked to switch things up. Best of all, because the fact that he slept with men was on the down low, Hunter knew how to be discreet. “Some other time, I'm no longer in the mood. So yeah, I'm leaving,” Kurt explained, and then he remember there was one last thing he wanted to say. “Don't you fucking dare tell him my name and I don't want to know his either for the record. The less we know about each other, the better,” Kurt hissed through clenched teeth.

“What the hell did he do to you?” Hunter questioned curiously.

“It's a long story, which I'm not about to tell,” Kurt dismissed.

“Want me to make his life a living hell?”

There was no telling if Hunter was actually serious or not but no matter how much Kurt disliked Oates, he wouldn't unleash that possible terror on anyone. “I hope for his sake... and my own, you're just kidding. Leave him be, or rather, give treating him nicer a try,” he instructed.

Only Hunter never took orders from other people, even sex partner, very well. “Why should I exactly?” he challenged.

“If you ever want to have sex with me again, then you should tread very lightly with this,” Kurt threatened.

This was no bluff on Kurt's part and they both knew it. Neither did Hunter want to be cut off, Kurt was an animal in bed who couldn’t care less about if he was in the closet or not (or slept with women too). “What if he asks about you?”

“You're used to keeping secrets. Just tell him it's none of his business, since it isn't,” Kurt explained.

“I guess that could be rather fun, holding it over him,” Hunter admitted.

“We'll have to conduct our meetings at my place from now on I suppose,” Kurt said with a tired sigh.

Hunter whistled. “A high honour indeed, considering how few received it.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Thank your roommate then for that honour. Looks like you just found a good reason to treat him better,” he said.

“Why do you care, if you hate him so much?”

Hate was such a strong word, one Kurt usually tried to avoid because in reality he truly hated so few things in the world. Nothing Oates had done was so horrible that Kurt thought he deserved any real punishment. His aversions to the prudish man were justified in his mind and Kurt wasn't about to change his opinion of the guy. But even Kurt had his limits, even if apparently Hunter didn't. “The fact that we don't get along is no reason to punish him for it. Besides, if his home life is bad then it could affect his performance ability at the club. Where his job is to keep the customers musically entertained. This is strictly business, Hunter,” Kurt explained matter-of-factly.

Hunter watched as Kurt took his leave, completely ignoring Blaine (who hadn't moved) as he walked right out the door. 

Hunter, who gone and put on a pair of pants, found no urge to be the first to speak. Blaine's face was a very entertaining read.

“So, you're gay then?” Blaine asked at point blank.

“Bi actually, not that anyone cares about that. The second I admit that I also like cock everyone thinks I must be gay. You think you have it tough being an out homosexual, you have no idea how fortunate you are. But don't you go and put me off as a tragic hero now, my life isn't anything you should pity, Blaine,” Hunter explained, cocky as ever.

There was no risk of Blaine feeling much sympathy for his roommate, not when all he could think about was the times Hunter had thrown his sexual orientation in his face. “That won't be a problem,” he said.

“Okay Blaine, I am gonna show some mercy and break you a fair deal. Keep all this to yourself, my being bi and you finding Hummel here and I'll start acting nice. At least, as nice as I can manage, and you'll notice the difference,” Hunter announced.

As much as Blaine wanted to say he didn't care about the Hummel part, Hunter would probably see through the lie. He was curious but not enough for him to strike any of his own bargains. Really this was a better turn out than he would have expected. “Deal,” Blaine said, holding out his hand to seal the deal.

They shook on it and Hunter already showed signs of keeping his side of the bargain when his usual back talk didn't follow. “Night roommie, got a lamp to clean up after,” he said in a friendlier tone.

So far Blaine wasn't really sure he liked the change in Hunter. For starters his normally sinister looking roommates' kind smile was enough to make Blaine shudder. Still, all things considered, his life could be a whole lot worse, even if it didn't seem like it right now.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Trying to avoid someone when the said person not only worked at the same place but was also ones boss was easier said than done. Only through their combined perseverance did Hummel and Blaine manage to not cross paths as the days passed. But for all their attempts, some confrontations were still unavoidable. Like how Blaine needed to step into Hummel's office to pick up his first official paycheck for instance. The need to pay his bills caused Blaine to enter the war zone; a place he hadn't been remotely close to since his and Hummel's first confrontation there. Whatever happened this time, Blaine doubted the man within would make the encounter very enjoyable.

At first Kurt didn't even notice Oates' reluctant arrival and it took his light cough for Kurt to look up from going over the club’s monthly expenses to even acknowledge his presence. He wasn't enjoying the interruption, or how Blaine was staring at him like Kurt was a prison guard. “May I help you?” he asked in an impersonal tone.

“I'm here for my paycheck,” Blaine explained.

Kurt quickly rummaged through the stack of letters on his desk to hand it to Oates.

At first Blaine was surprised Hummel would bother, since the document would have his actual name written upon it. But when he took the envelope the reason became clear; stuck over the place where his name would normally be visible was a sticker labelled 'Oates'. “Why are you so against learning my real name?” Blaine asked.

Kurt's first response was to shrug, which felt oddly satisfying. “I really don't care all that much and it's not like we need to be on a first name basis. You don't know mine, so I thought you would appreciate the equal treatment,” he explained casually. “Oates suits you just fine.”

As much as Blaine felt tempted to just drop his name, his heart wasn't really in it. “On the subject of Hall & Oates, Sam and I have the H2O numbers down pat. In fact I think you'll be quite impressed come Saturday night,” Blaine announced.

Kurt very much doubted that but he chose to keep the fact to himself for once, as he really did have better things to do. “Uh-huh. By all means please try; your vigour is adorable,” Kurt chimed with thinly veiled sarcasm. “Come next week I think it will be time to retire the Hall & Oates routine though, before it becomes yesterday’s news.”

“Alright, but now I'm wondering what you'll call me then,” Blaine teased.

“Oh, you'll always be Oates to me,” Kurt said in a sweet and overly sarcastic voice.

Blaine let out a tired sigh and accepted his fate to be ever-known as Oates and let the issue drop. Hummel seemed to be over it as well as he started to organize the remaining pay stubs during their conversation.

“I know you and Sam have suggestions to share and I've been getting feedback from customers as well. Since there's a lot to take into consideration... there will be a meeting about all this sometime next week,” Kurt explained.

While Blaine had heard about how seriously Hummel took his job as co-manager he still hadn't expected him to put so much thought into a simple set list. “Sure, just give me some warning beforehand, because I have a day job.”

“Doesn't everyone?” Kurt scoffed. “I have one as well.”

The way Hummel stuck around the club most nights, Blaine almost suspected he lived there in some fabulous underground lair. When Blaine tried to picture him acting domestic all he got was a messed up vision of Hummel dressed only in an apron. 'Oh my god, what the fuck am I imagining?' Blaine thought with horror; he really needed to get laid.

There it was again, the almost creepy way that Oates drifted off with a perverted look on his face. What in the hell was he picturing this time? “You do realize I have a life outside of work right?” Kurt pointed out. 'One you will never be a part of, not even as a one night stand,' Kurt added in thought.

“Must be nice, I barely have any free time,” Blaine admitted, for what reason he had no idea. But he did manage not to add how he also had little money for that matter. Right from the start it didn't take much to realize Hummel was someone who didn't have to do without. Which made it hard for Blaine not to feel petty with resentment.

“Is that everything? I have a lot of work to do,” Kurt said.

That was a dismissal if he'd ever heard one and Blaine had no intentions to linger, even to look around Hummel's office. Because for all of his avoidance, Blaine still found himself thinking about Hummel and who he exactly was quite a lot. So Blaine thought if he learned a bit about him then his curiosity would lessen. But it was way too risky to ask around the club because Hummel was everywhere and heard everything. Blaine already had the stigma as being labelled as one of the many new boys who wanted to sleep with him so Blaine didn't want do anything that could further support that stupid idea.

Right when he'd planned on making a graceful exit, the sleeve of Blaine’s jacket, which was currently thrown over his shoulder, whipped out as he spun to leave, knocking a number of objects off of Hummel's desk.

Kurt swore in protest at the unexpected attack and looked down to assess the damage. In his usual oafish ways, Oates had managed to knock over his pen container. But that and the additional casualty of an empty coffee cup hardly made him want to explode. It wasn't until Oates knelt down to pick up a final item, one that had been out of Kurt's line of vision at first, that his anger started to build.

Blaine turned the item in question around to discover it was a picture frame that was now badly cracked. “Sorry about that,” Blaine quickly apologized. He had planned to hand the frame over to its owner, until Blaine glanced at the photo and what he saw caught his full attention: a picture of a kind faced blond man and a slightly younger looking Hummel in his arms. Staring, Blaine could barely believe how happy the pair looked. Hummel's joyous smile was such a contrast to his usual stone cold exterior.

Before Oates could ask any questions about the man's identity, Kurt snatched the photo right out of his hands, like he was unworthy to even set eyes upon the image. At the sight of the cracked glass, Kurt hissed with anger. “You broke the glass!”

“I was an accident and I've already said I was sorry!” Blaine said in his defence. The actual photo wasn't damaged so what was the big deal?

Little did Oates know just how important and treasured the photo was to Kurt and how its place on his desk had special significance. “Out! Before you break anything else!” Kurt ordered.

But Blaine refused to budge this time. “No,” he answered flatly.

Kurt stopped to place the photo carefully inside his top left drawer before dealing with the man's act of defiance. “Excuse me?”

Hummel wasn't the only one who could turn to dramatics if push came to shove. “I refuse to let you send me away like I've committed a major offence. I haven't done anything wrong and I certainly don't deserve your scrutiny,” Blaine challenged.

Kurt's eyes narrowed; usually no one aside from those he was closest to ever tried to spar with him. “I don't like your attitude,” he declared.

“Of course you don't. You don't like any sort of back talk unless it's your own,” Blaine accused.

Kurt had no idea what Oates was getting at, unless he was trying to make Kurt so angry he'd fire him on the spot. Something similar had happened before, when some guy had lied to try to knock Kurt from his position of power. Stephan trusted Kurt too much to let that happen, though, and the guy had gotten canned instead. Well, then, if that was Oates' game, then Kurt was more than ready to step up and tangle. “Have it your way; I'll retract all grievances you've committed before. We'll start anew right here and now. Let's see how you'll fare this time, Oates, do your worst... try to win me over,” Kurt enticed.

The dripping sensual undertones in the lower register of Hummel's voice were doing things to Blaine's brain. There was no way someone that radiated so much sexual energy wasn't aware of the fact and clearly wasn't above using it to his advantage. Was Hummel actually making a sexual pass at him? On the off chance Blaine was horribly wrong he didn't call him out on his attempts. “Fine with me, I would like to prove I'm not a horrible person... if only to show you wrong,” Blaine agreed.

Kurt's smile was devious and yet saucy at the same time. “Very good then,” he nearly purred.

“But when it comes to anything else... I'm still not interested and I never have been,” Blaine added, deciding to go there after all.

Which was a bad idea and instantly Kurt's posture stiffened at the implication. Normally Kurt didn't care if people thought he'd slept with countless men but since the awkward situation where Kurt had inadvertently slept with Oates' roommate, this time it felt too personal. “Believe me, I'm not trying to seduce you,” he said with teeth clenched.

“Good, then there's no problem with wiping the slate clean, right?”

There was something Oates had on Kurt, him sleeping with Hunter, and from his tone it almost sounded like Blaine was planning to use it against him. “I'm not ashamed of my actions. The only reason I'm keeping my affair with Hunter a secret is for his sake,” Kurt explained.

Blaine might have been more willing to accept that claim if only Hunter wasn't such a horrible person, who certainly didn't deserve the valiant gesture. “I wasn't planning on telling anyone. I don't participate in idle gossip,” Blaine scoffed, leaving out the fact he'd told Sam in strict confidence, but he knew his friend was trustworthy.

The heated confrontation could have gone on forever, if not for Stephan's sudden arrival. He took one look at the boys and ignored the tense atmosphere. “Ah, two of my favourite men in the same room,” he announced.

“Stephan, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Kurt chimed.

“I thought I'd check in to see if you've told our new star about the meeting?” Stephan explained.

“I just did. In fact we were just finishing up the details,” Kurt explained. 

It didn't go past Blaine how both Stephan and Hummel were purposely avoiding using his first name, which meant even Stephan was going along with Hummel's childish whims. Not that Blaine cared. He didn't hate the nickname because there were worse things he could be called. “I just need to check the schedule for my day job and then we can finalize the day and time,” Blaine added, sounding equally professional.

“That is wonderful news, boys. I must say I am looking forward to watching you and Sam perform the H2O album this weekend. You see what happens when the two of you work together?” Stephan said while grinning away.

Kurt rolled his eyes as soon as Stephan looked away, only to notice Oates was now glaring at him. “It was a team effort,” he remarked.

Despite the inaccuracy in that comment, Blaine made no attempts to correct him. Perhaps Hummel warped stories to put himself in a better light to gain popularity at the club, because Blaine still found it very hard to believe he'd landed his position with hard work alone. “Anyway, I'll see you both at tonight's show. I need to go cash my paycheck now. Later,” Blaine said and darted out of the room.

The eyesore gone, Kurt set to putting his desk back in proper order.

“Where's the photo of you and Adam?” Stephan asked, pointing to its usual spot.

Kurt brought out the frame to show Stephan the damage. “Oates knocked it over so I need to get a new frame for it,” Kurt explained.

“I thought for a minute you were intentionally putting it away...”

“Why? It's not like I'm trying to forget Adam existed. It's true for the first few months I couldn't look at any photos of him. But now, when it's almost been two years... I know better. I can't make him a ghost of my past, Steph. He's dead... but I'll never forget him,” Kurt said softly.

Stephan placed a supportive hand on Kurt's shoulder, which was soft to the touch from the shoulder pad underneath Kurt's blazer jacket. “You get so poetic at times, Kurt,” he cooed.

There were few people who got Kurt as well as his boss, because he was also a beloved friend. They'd gone through so many ups and downs over the last decade and learned countless life lessons in the process. Stephan would never forget their first encounter, when a brash teenage Kurt had snuck into Flare to be caught by the then twenty-eight-year-old Stephan. But most of all there was no forgetting how Stephan had taken Kurt's virginity that night thanks to Kurt's efforts to seduce him. 

“Why are you being so tough on--” Stephan began, only refraining from saying Blaine's name because Kurt's hand quickly covered his mouth before could.

“I don't want to know his name!” Kurt hissed.

It had been a very long time since Kurt had acted this childish, or stubborn for that matter. “He's an employee, Kurt, you're usually the one everyone goes to when it comes to the staff. So tell me, what is it about him that you dislike so much?” Stephan coaxed, his voice quiet and not at all pushy.

Stephan was the only other person aside from Rachel who Kurt wouldn't blow off, no matter how much he wanted to. “He's... just... really irritating, for a number of reasons...” Kurt grumbled.

“Such as?” Stephan urged, refusing to budge.

Kurt let out an exasperated sigh, “He's a clumsy, jarring, judgemental attention whore and... he tries way too hard to please people. Though not with me, which I'm glad for because I can see right through his act. It's so fake...” 

“I don't get that from him at all, Kurt,” Stephan admitted.

“Give it time,” Kurt sassed.

“Should I go and fire him then?”

Kurt's eyes widened at the very idea. “Oh god no! He's an adequate enough worker. I just don't want to be friendly with him. You don't need to understand my reasons Steph, just... try to respect them... for me, please?” he pleaded with big puppy-dog eyes.

Stephan could already curb a guess at why Kurt was set on keeping Blaine at arm’s length and was going out of his way to dislike him. The reason Stephan had come up with didn't have much to do with how the pair had gotten off on the wrong foot. Blaine reminded Stephan of someone, who was very dear to Kurt and who'd he'd lost two years ago: Adam Crawford, who was warm, kind, and the type of person who instantly made you feel treasured and safe. Both men had the same air about them and their similarities were no more apparent than in their smiles. Whether Kurt had picked up on their common traits or not, it made sense for him to react so strongly to Blaine's presence. He could very well be a physical reminder to what Kurt had lost.

“Only if you try to keep an open mind about him,” Stephan said.

“Fine. But I doubt anything will come of it,” Kurt replied.

Stephan sighed. Kurt was in one of his stubborn moods. “Keep your feud going then. Just as long as it doesn't affect either of your work ethics...” Stephan began to warn.

“This is me Steph. When have I ever let my emotions call the shots here?” Kurt scoffed.

“Never,” Stephan confirmed.

Kurt's inability to abandon anything or anyone he cared about was well known amongst those who had his confidence. Stephan himself had ruthlessly laid down the law to make Kurt drop his work responsibilities during the final months of Adam's life. But when Kurt had returned to the club after he died, Stephan let him come back to work regardless of what he had personally thought. Two weeks hardly seemed like enough time for recovery but Kurt explained he needed something to do. If he didn't try to resume his regular life, Kurt would succumb to grief.

It took him a total of eleven months, but Kurt recovered from his mourning period. It was then when Kurt had placed the photo of him and Adam on his desk and started saying his name again. The two year anniversary of Adam's death was looming near and Stephan was worried Kurt would push everyone away again. No matter how close they were, the days when he and Kurt were lovers was long gone. It wasn't his place to try to fill the void left by Adam, and Stephan truly hoped Kurt would find someone who could, one day.

“Just remember... when you pass judgement too quickly there is no telling what you could miss out on,” Stephan said, voicing one final word of wisdom before leaving Kurt alone.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Now that Blaine had more or less settled into his New York life, he finally had time to look after his physical health. While having two jobs kept him occupied, it also had showed how out of shape Blaine had become over all. Blaine was far from pudgy; his physique was fine but there was always room for improvement. He didn't need a six pack but it would be nice for him to have more energy when he was dancing up on stage. This had led him to sign up for an aerobics class courtesy of Tina. Who'd gone so far to help her friend pick out the perfect work out ensemble. When really Blaine thought calling it 'perfect' was a bit of a stretch.

Blaine had still gone along with her choice, since he was too polite to voice his concerns, and now he had to live with the end result. He still thought the bright green shorts he was wearing were too tight and didn't cover his legs enough. His black tank top was equally snug and he wasn't really into wearing legwarmers for that matter. But at Tina's assurance that it was typical aerobics attire, he boldly stepped into the correct room. To his relief everyone within was dressed in a similar fashion or a slightly more feminine version because they were all women. 

Since he was there to work out and not check out cute guys, he hardly minded that he was the only male there. But right when Blaine was busy going through the warm up routine Tina had taught him, another fellow did show up.

“Wow, he's hot,” a leopard-print clad woman suddenly announced at the sight of the new arrival.

Blaine's head snapped up after hearing that, but unlike the rest he instantly let out a dreaded groan.

The man deemed 'hot' stormed right up to Blaine, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What are you doing here?” Hummel demanded.

“Attending an aerobics class. It's a free country,” Blaine threw back.

The only remaining spot in the room was located directly behind Oates yet Kurt still took it, and he planned to ignore Oates for the entire lesson. At first all was going to plan as Kurt silently unrolled his mat and Oates went back to his own business. But a side effect to Oates' turning his back to Kurt meant he now had the perfect viewpoint of Oates' perky behind. Kurt tried to look anywhere but straight ahead but he was powerless to it. Why did he have to wear those ridiculously tiny shorts which left nothing to the imagination?

Try as he might Blaine couldn't stop himself from sneaking a glance at Hummel whenever possible. Blaine would have never thought a red star patterned tank top and white shorts with red stripes combo could look that good on anyone. Yet somehow Hummel's attractive features were only heightened and that made Blaine envious and a little turned on.

A silent stand-off broke out between the two, neither one realizing just how physically attractive they found one another. 

On his third glance back Blaine finally realized Hummel was actually staring at his ass. “Do you mind?”

“What? Did you think I was ogling you or something? Hah. In your dreams, Oates,” Kurt quickly barked back, lying through his teeth.

The escalating confrontation was suddenly interrupted when a fierce looking woman sporting a mullet stormed into the room and slammed a bulky boombox down on a nearby table.

“Okay ladies, downtime is over!” she announced in a formidable voice.

Blaine and Kurt, fear stricken and unwilling to experience her rage, abandoned their argument to go back to their respective spots.

“Each and every one of you has the privilege to undergo one of Sue Sylvester’s workout regimens, which are personally responsible for the Material Girl herself, Madonna, losing her love-handles. So if you want to survive my class then you better leave all your petty troubles at the door,” Sue bellowed.

When there were nothing but stunned faces and no words of protest, she nodded with approval. She pressed the play button and took her place at the front of the class to start the workout and watch the bodies fall.

Now Blaine and Kurt had a real reason to forget about each other, as they were subjected to the most strenuous workout routine ever created. Those who couldn't keep up limped off the battle grounds to nurse their newly inflicted wounds. But this was not the fate for the two men in the room, who soon were trying to outshine one another to the sounds of 'Burning Up' by Madonna. 

“Alright ladies, work those childless hips until they pop!”

Sweat beaded down Kurt's brow. He was able to hide it but on the inside he felt like his muscles were on fire. When the workout switched to lunges Kurt took a deep breath as he pushed his body forward. Kurt needed something to focus on, and without meaning to his gaze lingered back to Oates. Watching the young man coax his body into what would be very sexually gratifying in the right situation sure revved him up nice and good.

“Leg up, leg up!” Sue ordered.

Blaine swore he could hear raspy breaths and he craned his head back to find the source and discovered that Hummel was staring at him again. Caught in the act, Hummel quickly looked away and paid Blaine no mind. It wasn't like Blaine could talk though because when Hummel went on his back with his legs in air, now Blaine was the one who couldn't look away. There was something blatantly sexual about the display before him and soon his anger for Hummel turned to sexual frustration.

The near sizzling tension continued to rise to heated levels as the routine went on, peaking right at the end.

“And drop,” Sue decreed.

As Kurt's back hit the mat, he wasn't able to hide how he'd pushed himself a little too far, what with his recent bruising. He knew it was unwise but Kurt reminded himself he couldn't afford to become stiff; he needed to push himself if he wanted a fast recovery. Besides, it wasn't so bad, since Kurt was always on the move anyway. He'd hooked up with Hunter because it was just the sort of workout he'd needed and this aerobics class was only the second stage. He'd feel it the next morning, or that night even, but Kurt already knew that pain of this kind was a necessary evil.

Blaine wasn't faring much better when it came to regulating his breathing and it didn't help that Hummel looked downright pornographic, starting from his beautiful side profile and continuing down his throat and straight onto his long muscled toned arms, Hummel was a piece of art. 

“Would you please stop gawking at me,” Kurt growled angrily.

“Oh, like you can talk, you couldn't keep your eyes off my ass during the workout,” Blaine accused.

“At least I had no choice to, 'cause it was right in front of me. What's your excuse?” Kurt countered.

“How about your heavy breathing? It sounded like you were suffocating,” Blaine said.

The comeback was weak but Kurt still gave a loud mocking laugh, “Oh, how considerate of you to be so concerned for my well-being...”

“You two! Gay boys!” Sue shouted with arms crossed as she towered over the pair. “Finish your sexual interludes someplace else! Go find a vacant bathroom stall or wherever your kind do your dirty work! Nobody gets physical in Sue Sylvester’s classroom unless it’s on my terms,” Sue said formidably.

“We weren't...” Blaine tried to explain, but it was no use.

Sue yanked them both up by the back of their tank tops and hauled Blaine and Kurt to the door, chucking them out like she was a bouncer at a bar. Dismissed and humiliated, for once the pair had a common enemy to fume over.

“Wow, she's horrible!” Kurt stuttered.

“You're telling me!” Blaine exclaimed. 

For a fleeting moment the boys’ normal hate for each other was pushed aside to the back of their minds as they headed for the men’s locker room.

“I'd report her but I know it would be useless. When is anyone a voluntary gay advocate these days?” Kurt grumbled, more to himself than to Oates.

Blaine made no comment because he still felt hot and bothered, for a number of reasons, the strongest of which was due to Hummel. That became very clear when Hummel stripped his shirt off without warning and Blaine couldn't take his eyes off of him at first. How could one person test Blaine's libido this much? He'd always prided himself on being able to rise above his physical urges and break the stereotype that gay men only wanted sex.

Kurt was oblivious to the attention from Oates as he brought out the necessary toiletries to take a much needed shower. Kurt ended up dropping his shower gel, watching it tumble to the ground and roll out of reach. “Fuck,” he swore.

Blaine knelt down to the retrieve the fallen item on reflex, holding it out for Hummel to take. When he learned forward Blaine heard his pained hiss and frowned. “Shouldn't you... take it easy, what, with your...” Blaine began, only he wasn't sure what to call Kurt's bruises. “...injuries?” he chose to go with.

Kurt glanced down at his torso. He kept trying to forget they were even there but clearly they hadn't healed enough for that quite yet. “I'm fine, this is nothing,” Kurt assured.

“If you say so,” Blaine muttered.

“But before you ask, I didn't get them from having rough sex,” Kurt quickly admitted. He might not care what the club-goers thought but for some reason Kurt disliked the idea of Oates thinking he was a sex crazed deviant.

Blaine blinked. “I wasn't...” he protested, only for the lie to fall flat under Hummel's gaze. He had thought that and there was no use trying to say otherwise.

Kurt shrugged, the matter closed and he walked into one of the open showers and closed the door behind him. Kurt would have taken a shower whether they were closed or not but he was glad for the added privacy. Besides, Oates had probably gotten a good look at his package back when they'd crossed paths at Hunter's apartment. Kurt had no sense of shame when it came to nudity anyway; his sexual history had desensitized him long ago. As Kurt came out of the shower stall he instantly noticed Oates was there, still damp from his shower, shirtless and looking far too delectable for Kurt's liking.

Blaine chose not to act bashful since when it came to his own physical attributes he felt he had nothing to hide. But then he was proven otherwise when Hummel's eye-line fell to one particular spot on his lower right hip.

What Kurt saw there made him smirk. “Funny, I wouldn't have pegged you as the tattoo type,” Kurt declared, gesturing to the ink with his hand. Kurt couldn't quite make out what the tattoo could be, not when it was still half hidden under the waist of Blaine's jeans.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Uh huh, well there's a lot you don't know about me, Hummel,” he replied as he watched the snarky young man come cover to get a closer look. Not only did Blaine make no protest but he pulled his jeans down underneath the tattoo to make it easier to see.

Kurt squinted his eyes; there, written across Oates' hips were the words 'I will survive, Hey hey' in a stylish font. “Do you seriously have lyrics to a Gloria Gaynor song permanently tattooed on your hip or am I seeing things?” 

“What's it to you?” Blaine challenged, his voice unintentionally musical.

“Nothing, it's just an amusing observation.”

“Give it to young rebellion I guess... though I wish I'd picked a better spot,” Blaine said, leaving out how much personal meaning the message held.

“There were a number of times I nearly got one myself,” Kurt admitted.

“What stopped you?”

“My voice of reason.”

“You have one of those?” Blaine questioned in sarcastic surprise.

“Yes. Seriously, what sort of person do you take me for?”

“You're the one you keeps implying how much of a wild past you had when it comes to sex,” Blaine countered.

“Well I did but that stopped well over three years ago. As it turns out, leading a promiscuous life can get old after a while. But don't think that means I've gotten rusty... you sure wouldn't be able to handle me,” Kurt said, in his deadly lower register that few gay men could resist.

Even Blaine found it hard to remain unaffected, but his stubborn pride fought valiantly against it. “Don't you hate throwing yourself around like you’re worthless?” he asked.

Kurt stiffened from the unexpected question, one he had asked himself many times before. But just like then Kurt had no interest in discovering the answer. “Oh how little you know... having a reputation as a sex addict, whether accurate or not, is still better than nothing at all in the gay community,” Kurt explained.

If Blaine weren't so worn out from the aerobics lesson, he might have dared to go against Hard-Ball-Hummel. But no matter how much Blaine wanted to disagree with Hummel's claims and point out how not all gay men thought that, he had nothing to back his claims up. He had a point and that was what pissed Blaine off most of all. “You and Hunter sure deserve one another,” Blaine said, in a weak attempt to change the subject.

Kurt stopped his efforts to make his hair look more presentable and just threw his t-shirt over his head. “We aren't dating or anything, he's just...”

“One of the fortunate men you choose to fuck whenever you feel like it?” Blaine offered sarcastically. 

There was no point for Kurt to feel offended, since everything Oates had said was true. “Pretty much. Got a problem with that, Oates?”

“Not if I don't have to come home to it all the time,” Blaine replied.

Kurt closed his locker door shut; it was time for him to find a new gym. “Believe me... that will never happen again. As far as I'm concerned, if you and I only see one another at the club, it will be heaven on earth, and this is coming from an atheist,” Kurt sassed.

“I guess it's possible for us to agree on something. Proof that miracles can happen,” Blaine said. 

“Whatever. I'm leaving before you knock a locker over on top of me,” Kurt muttered as he turned his nose up at Oates and escaped his trying presence.  
________________________________________________________________________________

Contrary to what some people might think, Kurt was fully able to admit that even he could be wrong at times. That Saturday night was the busiest Dare to Flare had ever been and it was all due to the two men currently up on stage. As soon as the cover band had started performing their first number Kurt knew he'd lost this round. Oates, for all his annoying confidence, knew how to deliver when it came to musical entertainment. In fact Kurt thought that his talents were probably wasted in such a place, but breaking into showbiz in this day and age was rough, especially in New York.

At least the show distracted Kurt from what was proving to be a difficult week for him, one he wished he could desperately escape somehow. Everyone was treading lightly. Even Stephan hadn't asked him if he was doing okay. When Kurt spotted the club manager heading his way grinning, he guessed his friend was coming to gloat. “Okay... you win, you were right about him. Happy now?” Kurt muttered, robbing his boss of the satisfaction to say it himself. 

“Immensely, and you should be as well. Take a look around,” Stephan replied.

“We still need to mix things up to keep it fresh, Steph,” Kurt warned.

“That's why we're holding a meeting later in the week,” Stephan reminded his second in command playfully.

Kurt shrugged, which signalled he wasn't in a very playful mood, and since he actually had a good reason Stephan didn't push him too far. Not when there were two things that risked bringing down Kurt's demeanour in the upcoming week, neither of which Kurt wanted to deal with since fighting his melancholy state was enough of a challenge so far.

At least with Stephan there to run the show Kurt was on light duty for the night, allowing Kurt to drop his guard enough to let his more easy going side out but not too much. Whenever his shields were down it didn't take long for the men at the club to notice and for once Kurt made no attempts to evade them. Kurt was fine to admit (to himself anyway) how he enjoyed the attention he got from guys. It felt good to be wanted, even if most of the time he was treated more like a gay trophy. But at first not even getting the chance to flirt could keep the second thing that was threatening to ruin his week from entering his mind. Kurt was sick of his sex crazed persona, and he'd already put the wild side of him to rest years ago. Sure he was no longer considered a slut, but his highly exclusive reputation was almost as bad. But even then he still wanted something more, something intimate.

But such a romantic quest could wait for another day, when Kurt was in a more adventurous mood. Men flocking around him to flirt was just the sort of pick me up Kurt needed and he was quick to use every trick in the book, from batting his eyes at the right moment, to laughing at their jokes and even holding the proper stance to draw them. All that Kurt needed was someone really good to show up and luckily for him the flirting king of Flare (or at least one of the best) was also off duty and now heading his way. 

“My, this is a pleasant surprise. Your shields are down, Hummel,” Sebastian said with two drinks in hand.

“I'm trying to turn over a new leaf, Sebastian, care to help?” Kurt enticed.

“For you babe, anything,” Sebastian flirted back.

Sebastian instantly started to give Kurt some of his best work and he began by telling Kurt precise descriptions about what he exactly wanted to do to Kurt's body. Such graphic details would normally cause any man to blush, but not Kurt. He listened with interest and dished it all back until the two started a to-and-fro with their flirty counter remarks. Neither one got the upper hand for long but that made it more fun, and it wasn't long before the rest backed off because they all knew there was little point to try their luck anymore. It was common knowledge that Sebastian was one of Kurt's regular-hook ups, an old favourite especially since he'd been going to the club almost as long as Kurt. But hardly anyone knew the real reason why they were still on such good terms: Adam. If it weren't for him, Kurt and Sebastian's relationship wouldn't have branched outside of work and the occasional fling. Not long after Kurt and Adam had finally started dating, Sebastian had befriended the both of them -- all thanks to the fact that Adam and Sebastian lived in the same apartment building. 

Kurt and Sebastian's difficult loss of a mutual friend had caused an unexpected bond to form, one where both knew there was no risk of becoming emotionally dependant on one another in the process. So there was no guilt when they both gave each other what they needed, even when it included their sexual needs. Nearly two years later, the relationship between the pair had reverted back to something simpler: friends with occasional benefits.

“So why are you having this sudden change of heart?” Sebastian asked.

Kurt shrugged. “If I don't melt my cold exterior now and then I'll end up making too many enemies,” he explained.

“Won't you end up misleading too many hopeful suitors if you go in the other direction?” Sebastian warned. 

“Honestly... I'm starting to think that would be the lesser of the two evils...” Kurt began, only his explanation was cut short when the room erupted into loud cheers when the Hall & Oates duo up on stage finished another impressive number. Kurt rolled his eyes at the scene. He kept telling himself the urge to change his reputation at the club had nothing to do with Oates or how his cheerful nature had won everyone over so quickly.

Sebastian eyed Kurt curiously. “The sexual tension between you and Oates boy is so obvious.”

Just because Kurt and Sebastian were still good friends who had occasional sex didn't mean Sebastian was any less of his smug self. He still made his regular catty remarks and wasn't above confrontation when it came to the co-manager of Flare. Because no matter how hard Sebastian pushed at Kurt, there was too much history between them for either to want to cut all ties.

“And what, pray tell, do you mean by that?” Kurt asked warily. There was something about Sebastian's tone that made him feel uneasy. “What aren't you telling me?”

“I'll tell you but we should probably go somewhere more private,” Sebastian suggested.

Kurt didn't like the sound of that, not when Sebastian was one of his top informants at the club. “Will my office suffice?”

“Won't people think we're going there to fuck?”

“Shut up,” Kurt muttered as he pushed the bartender towards the back of the club. “I don't fuck people here...” he started to say until Sebastian's snickering became too loud to ignore. “At least not in recent years! You see, this is a clear example of why I want to change my image!” Kurt started to rant as they weaved through the crowds.

Back up on stage Sam and Blaine gave each other an enthusiastic high five after they belted out the last line of the song. 

“We totally rocked the place!” Sam yelled over the crowd.

“Did we ever!” Blaine agreed.

At first all seemed fine and dandy. Blaine was in an exceptionally good mood and intended to get out there and reap the benefits of a job well done. It wasn't until the team were backstage that Blaine picked up on Sam's unease and his excitement quickly turned to concern.

“Are you okay there, buddy?” Blaine asked softly.

Sam nodded, a little too quickly. “Yeah... I'm good...” he replied.

Only Blaine wasn't buying the answer. “Sam, you know you can always come to me if something's bothering you. Is a guy at the club getting too... forward with his intentions?”

“No, it's nothing like that... there's something I need to tell you. Only I don't know how,” Sam reluctantly admitted.

“Just tell me, you know you can trust me, Sam,” Blaine coaxed.

Sam shuffled his feet before finally complying. “Two nights ago... I ended up getting kinda drunk at the club... and I made out with a guy,” he admitted. 

Blaine's shoulders relaxed at the confession. “Is that all? That's nothing to be ashamed of. Heck, I've made out with girls while drunk before,” Blaine admitted. “Thankfully I never slept with any of them! So you should be fine if you're careful to a point.” 

For some reason Sam fidgeted nervously as he started to change out of his Daryl Hall costume. “I think I told him how you ran into Hummel at your apartment,” he explained.

“What? Oh my god, what did you say?” Blaine blurted out.

“I dunno! I can't remember. But uh, I must have said something wrong because now everyone thinks you and Hummel hooked up,” Sam continued to say.

So that was why guys were acting even more flirtatious than usual that night. Blaine had been too focused on bringing it on stage to consider the reason until now. He guessed getting Hummel into bed meant he too was now nearly as desirable by association alone. “I'm dead...”

“You? What about me? I'm the one who blabbed!” Sam shouted.

“No, you don't get it. I already told Hummel I wouldn't tell anyone about it. When he finds out... which he probably already has... I'm done for...” Blaine said, shuddering at the thought.

“I think it's time I go tell Stephan how I'm really straight,” Sam said and slipped past Blaine before he could stop him. “Sorry, Blaine!”

“Great! What the fuck am I supposed to do now?” Blaine cried out in desperation. It was only a matter of time until all hell broke loose.

Running when he actually hadn't done anything wrong was pointless and would only fuel the gossip already spreading around. What Blaine needed was to get out there and try to set the record straight before Hummel could find him first. But just as Blaine was about to set that plan in motion he heard a familiar shrill. Blaine froze. Was it already too late? Had Hummel come for him? Blaine peered around the corner to discover Hummel wasn't alone; he was with Sebastian. Blaine carefully trailed after the pair, making sure to keep out of sight, and followed them to Hummel's office.

“Come on, let's this over with,” Hummel said as he pushed Sebastian inside.

“You're so hot when you get bossy,” Sebastian taunted.

Not this again; what was Hummel's problem? Did he have no sense of shame? Blaine very much doubted Hummel and Sebastian were going in there to talk about a work related issue. He'd seen how much Sebastian went out of his way to flirt with Hummel and that Hummel did nothing to discourage the attention. It was time for Blaine to walk away, not from every issue, but he at least wanted to stop thinking about Hummel's questionable morals. Blaine refused to be known just as one of Hummel's cheap flings. He stormed off and away from Hard-Ball-Hummel and his bartender boy-toy, determined to clear his own name.

Inside of Kurt's office the atmosphere was tense but not of the sexual kind like many would assume. Kurt was sitting at the edge of the desk anxiously studying Sebastian's face for clues. This wasn't the first time such a scene had taken place; whenever Sebastian had bad news to report it usually brought them to the same place. But for once Kurt had no idea what it could be. He was really losing his touch lately.

“I know this is a tough week for you to hear anything negative...” Sebastian began, sounding more sympathetic than usual.

“Not only for me,” Kurt pointed out. 

“He was your boyfriend, Kurt,” Sebastian argued.

Kurt rolled his eyes; he hadn't even meant Adam's death in the first place. Besides, though it might seem like it, Adam hadn't been forgotten at Dare to Flare. Last year a memorial service (which Kurt didn't attend) had been held in his honour and there was talk of it happening again. Kurt wasn't sure he could be brave enough to show this time around, even if his mourning period was over with. “Just tell me what's going on, Sebastian.”

“Word around the club is you and Oates hooked up a few nights back,” Sebastian said without warning.

Anger washed over Kurt, anger towards Oates because there was only one explanation for how that crazy idea had gotten round. “The fucker! He lied to me! Right to my face! He said he wouldn't tell anyone!” Kurt shouted with rage.

“Wait, you mean you actually fucked him? How is he? I've been tempted to myself-”

“We did not have sex! I was with his roommate that night, not him!” Kurt interrupted.

“Why are you so angry? This shit happens all the time,” Sebastian said.

“That's the whole problem! Seb, what level are we talking here?”

“It's a full blown ten, I'm surprised you haven't noticed yourself,” Sebastian answered.

“I've been... occupied...” Kurt grumbled.

Kurt already knew why the rumour about him and Oates was already spreading so out of control. He'd gone a very long while without anything scandalous happening and people were starved for drama. Kurt was always so careful when it came to his usual sex partners and they all knew how to be discreet. Normally Kurt wouldn't care if people knew who he was fucking but he was so sick of it all. The last thing he wanted was for people to think he couldn't resist a pretty new boy who certainly hadn't done anything to grab his interest. So far Kurt's reputation when it came to his work habits hadn't taken a hit but now he wasn't so sure anymore. But no matter how bad it got Kurt refused to tell the truth and out Hunter in the process.

“So what now? Gonna call Oates into the office next?” Sebastian asked.

Kurt shook his head and slid off of his desk. “Oh no, he hasn't earned the courtesy. This means war!” he shouted and went off in search of the little blabbermouth.

“Oh Oates, you're in for it now,” Sebastian chuckled as he hurried after Kurt to watch the blood bath.

As soon as Blaine first appeared on scene he had every intention to clear his name but he'd underestimated his newfound popularity. Men were hitting on him left and right, never giving Blaine any chance to get a word in edgewise. It also didn't help that so many drinks were ordered for him he couldn't begin to drink them all, though he did finish three in attempts to counteract his growing anxiety. Getting so much attention quickly reminded Blaine how it had been a very long time since he'd last gotten laid. Too long actually. Suddenly one of the best-looking regulars, a dream-boat named Angelo, who was tall, broad shouldered and had short dirty blonde hair, approached Blaine, and he was finally willing to give into his suppressed desires.

“You have to tell me how you did it, Oates,” Angelo whispered in Blaine's ear.

The music was blaring and Blaine was on fire, dancing close up to Angelo's sizzling body, and there was no helping it; he just went for it. “Wanna find out for yourself?” Blaine flirted.

Little did Blaine know but the man everyone thought he'd landed was coming his way, ready to open a whole can of whip-ass on him. As Blaine and his potential hook-up were making out to the sounds of Duran Duran, trouble was already well on its way.

As Kurt approached Oates, crowds parted to form an instant pathway that led straight to his target. Kurt stopped a short distance right in front of the oblivious miscreant, who was too busy sucking on Angelo's neck to notice.

For one fleeting moment Kurt thought he was watching his younger self and Adam dancing together, like it was a scene straight from Kurt's memory. The way that the pair were dancing and so oblivious to the outside world reminded Kurt what it had felt like when he was with Adam on the dance floor. With a shake of his head the image faded away and his anger could no longer be contained. Kurt grabbed on the collar of Blaine's blue Ocean Pacific polo shirt and yanked him off of Angelo without so much as a warning.

Blaine, who had planned to accept Angelo's invite to his place next, was left standing there in an open space on the dance floor. “What the hell? Do you mind?” Blaine said in protest.

Kurt pushed himself right up in Oates' personal space, staring him down. “What have you got to say for yourself?” he demanded at the top of his lungs.

Ears ringing, Blaine hardly knew what to say in response. “That you're out of your mind?” he threw back.

The attitude that came along with Oates' answer was enough to set Kurt off, increasing his anger threefold. “So much for valour then, I should have known,” Kurt scoffed.

“If you have something to say to me, then say it!” Blaine urged.

“Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out how people think we slept together?”

Blaine was about to say he hadn't until he caught Sam's panicked state off in the distance. “I try not to think about you at all,” he explained.

The crowd within earshot let out a loud round of 'Ooos' and if that weren't bad enough, the DJ ended up changing the song to 'Shout' by Tears for Fears.

Egged on by the crowd and the appropriate music, Blaine and Kurt continued their shouting match despite having an audience.

“You've got a lot to say for yourself,” Kurt hissed.

Blaine glanced over towards Sam again, who looked like he was about to keel over and there was no way Blaine would throw his friend under the bus and into Hummel's rage-induced path. “What? Does the idea of us hooking up bother you that much? I saw your looks of hunger during the aerobics class. You couldn't stop staring at my ass!” Blaine accused.

“Oh please, if I wanted the John Hall look I'd rather have the real thing! Not some cheap knock off,” Kurt scoffed.

The insult fell flat and Blaine was about to show Hummel he was no push over. “Face it. You want me, Hummel,” he whispered enticingly.

The taunt didn't work on Kurt, though he had to admit Oates did look hot when he got rowdy. But still he threw his head back to let out a loud mocking laugh at the very idea. “In your dreams!”

“You mean nightmares! I don't find your whole ‘I've got a stick up my ass’ high and mighty act very sexy! Nor do I think your flashy clothes pull off a superior air of high fashion either. I bet that blazer of yours isn't even a real brand name. I think we all know who's the real cheap knock off here.”

Fashion was Kurt's lifeblood; he'd set the trend in the East Village's gay community for the last decade and there wasn't a harsher insult Oates could have delivered. Kurt stepped back, like he had been physically wounded, and some of the men surrounding them gasped in shock. “You take that back! This jacket is top of line and authentic! I have the credit card bills to prove it!”

When Hummel flaunted his obvious wealth it made Blaine act very petty and juvenile because he'd worked so hard in life only to come up with so little. “You're such a joke!” Blaine accused.

“And you don't have what it takes to make it here!” Kurt shouted back.

The anger in Blaine was building and he was running out of things to yell back at Hummel. “I'd never fuck you in a thousand years! Who knows what I'd catch!”

Kurt fell dead silent, so did the entire room, every eye was on the pair and no one could believe what had just gone down. Oates had no way to know just how stupid a thing he'd just said and no one chose to enlighten him.

Kurt hesitated; part of him wanted to run while the other wanted to punch Oates in the face. Of course even Kurt wouldn't go that far, but he did end up shoving him by accident. Oates obviously thought the move was intentional and was quick to angrily shove back. This caused both men to start a juvenile shoving match in turn.

“That's enough! The both of you!” Stephan bellowed as he pushed the two away from one another.

Humiliated and ashamed from his childish outbreak, Kurt staggered backwards. “Stephan...” he breathed.

“Save it Hummel, I'm disappointed with you. You know you're better than this,” Stephan chided. “Now get your ass in my office and wait for me there,” he ordered, pointing towards the back room.

For a second it looked like Kurt was about to protest but he folded under Stephan's formidable stare and did as he was told. Blaine, who looked quite embarrassed, was still where he had been since Stephan had broken up the confrontation.

First Stephan got everyone in the club to go back to their usual festivities and focus on themselves again. Once the dancing and merriment returned did Stephan look Blaine's way. “First off, you're not fired, but you're still in a lot of trouble, Blaine,” Stephan warned.

Blaine nodded in acknowledgement and followed Stephan to the back and where he'd surely hear his punishment. Now that the fight was over with, Blaine knew he'd acted out of line, but Hummel's verbal attack had come at him without any warning. It had brought up too many horrible memories of ugly confrontations with his parents, none of which he wanted to recall, especially since the last one had resulted in him breaking away from his family for good.

“I'm really sorry Stephan, I don't know what came over me,” Blaine said.

“You're not the only one to blame, which is why I'm dealing with the both of you together,” Stephan replied as he brought Blaine to his office.

Inside Kurt was sitting crossed armed at one of the chairs, starring off at nothing and tapping his foot on the floor. The second he looked up to see Oates in tow his bored expression turned to annoyance. “Not him,” he grumbled.

“I never thought I'd see two members of staff duke it out like that and over what? A stupid rumour? I thought I was assured you two would keep things professional despite your personal differences,” Stephan lectured.

“Rumours can still do a lot of damage... whether they're true or not,” Kurt argued.

“Well they will if you don't handle the situation well, so you two better tell me what went wrong,” Stephan urged.

“I was the one to start it. I'd just found out about the rumour and I took it badly. Like you said I was stupid and lashed out at Oates in a public setting... that I won't deny. But still, I wasn't the only one shouting out there,” Kurt admitted begrudgingly. 

“I egged him on,” Blaine added.

But Kurt didn’t like how that made it seem that Oates was the one rising above to come out the better man. “Only because I accelerated things to that level,” Kurt countered.

“You didn't force me to insult you,” Blaine countered.

Stephan slammed his fist onto the table dramatically and it did the job of stopping the two from squabbling. “Are you seriously fighting over whose fault it is? That's it. I'm suspending you both from work... for one day. Maybe after you've had a whole night off to cool your heads you'll start acting like adults,” he instructed.

“Is this really necessary?” Blaine asked.

Blaine ended up taking the words right out of Kurt's mouth, which proved how the two feuding men were more similar than they were willing to admit.

“It sure is, be lucky that's all I'm doing. Now go, and not another word from either of you,” Stephan said.

Dismissed and reprimanded, Blaine and Kurt slowly sulked out of Stephan's office and came to look at each other. The angry outbreak was over but that didn't mean either of them were ready to make nice and bury the hatchet.

But then Blaine's giving nature got the better of him and he couldn't leave things without trying to make amends. “Look... about what I said back there, I'm sorr-” Blaine began to apologize, but he didn't get to finish.

“Save it Oates, you meant what you said. Nothing you can say to me will make up for it. So don't bother trying, I don't need your apology... because we both acted like shit heads,” Kurt interrupted.

“Wow... you're a real prick at times,” Blaine muttered.

Kurt turned his noise up at Oates, passing him by. “Ta-ta. Go back to sucking on Angelo's neck for all I care.”

Blaine's mouth fell open in surprise. “Where are you going now?” he called when Hummel started to head back in the direction of the club.

“Damage control. I've put too much work in the place to abandon it now. You have no idea what goes on behind the scenes and I didn't fuck my way to the top, for the record, either,” Kurt told him casually.

“I never...” Blaine started to protest but then, was that claim really true?

“Yes, you did, and I don't care one way or the other. But what I don't want is people thinking we slept together. So I'm going to instruct my network to set the record straight about the rumour,” Kurt added.

“Is that why you want me to go back to Angelo? To help clear your reputation?” Blaine accused.

Kurt's smirk in reply was ample confirmation so he found no need to state it outright. “Maybe there's hope for you after all, Oates. See you at the meeting,” he taunted and was gone.

Blaine shook his head; how could one person be so exhausting to deal with? “This is not what I excepted to face when I moved to New York,” he said with a sigh.

Blaine was tempted to just head for home and was about to when he heard someone calling for Oates from the door leading to the club area. Blaine looked over to find Angelo was waiting for him with a flirtatious grin.

“There you are...” Angelo beckoned.

All that Blaine could manage was a weak smile in response. “I'm surprise you're still willing to put up with me,” he admitted.

Angelo obviously was and wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist, pulling him close and putting his hands in the back pockets of Blaine's pants. He leaned in and kissed Blaine full on the mouth and all the raging hormones from before were back and more demanding than ever. “Are you kidding? You actually went head to head with Hummel; that's impressive and hot as fuck. I want you, so my offer still stands, if you're up for it,” he explained.

“Oh god yes, let's get out of here!” Blaine exclaimed. He really needed to wipe his mind of Hummel and just have some enjoyable recreation time for once.

As Blaine and his playmate for the night made a hasty exit, off in the distance a watchful pair of blue eyes followed them.

Kurt wasn't smiling, even when he'd played a key role in sending Angelo his way, but for some odd reason it didn't feel all that rewarding. Oates was gone and out of his hair and that was good but now, there was nothing to distract him from the dull ache in his lonely heart.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

For the first time since Blaine had moved to the Big Apple – no, before that even – he found himself with a night off. Blaine hated that it was due to the whole mess with Hummel and their subsequent banishment from the club, but he wasn't about to let the free time go to waste. He had no desire to spend it with some hot young man, either, since Angelo might know how to please a man physically but he didn't bother with much else. As soon as Blaine's pants were back on Angelo had made it very clear that he wasn't even remotely interested in dating or anything along those lines. While Blaine hadn't gone into their hook-up expecting any sort of obligation, he'd allowed himself to remain a little hopeful. Was Blaine fooling himself in thinking he could ever find anyone who wanted something more than sex alone? Were there no romantics left in the city, or was it all the good ones were already taken (or still in the closet)?

With no other dates lined up, Blaine had graciously accepted Tina's invite to join her for an early dinner before her work shift, proving how not all social interactions needed to end with sex to have a good time. 

“So Blaine, how come I haven't heard from this cute friend of yours? You seemed so excited about setting us up at first,” Tina asked.

In the craziness of the last few days Blaine had forgotten all about his promise to set Sam and Tina up on a blind date. In fact Blaine hadn't so much as mentioned Tina to Sam at all. “Oh, geez, I'm sorry, Tina! I've been... occupied,” he quickly apologized.

“Uh huh,” Tina teased lightly.

The fact that Tina wasn't demanding a better explanation made Blaine's mind up for him; he'd snap into action the next time he saw Sam. “But fear not, I will quickly reconcile the delay post haste,” Blaine promised, trying to sound more like a medieval knight in shining armour and less like a lonely man in an acid-wash jean jacket.

Tina was now satisfied enough let the subject drop, but she stole the rest of Blaine's brownie sundae for penance. “Okay good, you're forgiven then,” she said sweetly.

Blaine chuckled. He thought (and not for the first time) how his life would be so much easier if he were interested in girls; he could just date Tina and that was that, problem solved. But Blaine was gay and he'd gone through his whole struggling-with-his-sexual-orientation phase. His love life might be lacking but Blaine was bound to catch a break at some point. 

“So what about me? Meet any potential guys to set me up with?” Blaine questioned playfully.

“No, not yet. It turns out living in New York doesn't mean you meet a bunch of eligible gay men,” Tina admitted with a sigh.

“Honey, you're preaching to the choir here,” Blaine joked.

“But I'm not giving up so neither should you, Blaine. I'm surprised you haven't found anyone at work.”

Blaine knew she meant at the club, since his other job at a local diner wasn't all that exciting and hardly a place to meet anyone. “Oh Dare to Flare has every type of guy, stereotypical or otherwise. But so far, none I've encountered have shown any interest outside of...” Blaine began, pausing to look around to confirm they were far from alone. “... you know, 'showing me a good time'...” Blaine continued, making air quotations. “Which, so far anyway, has never gone past a one-time thing,” Blaine ended bitterly.

Tina knew a thing or two about feeling lonely and she saw all the signs on her friend’s normally cheerful face. “So you've never taken up any of those offers then?” she asked, hoping she wasn't crossing a line.

Blaine rolled his eyes playfully at her; he was hardly offended. Normally Blaine didn't have anyone he could swap any juicy stories with, be they sexual or more romantic in nature. “No I have, I mean... it's kind of hard not to. Guys sure know what they're doing here, lemme tell you. But on the whole, I haven't had a lot of sexual experiences since moving. Though I did just sleep with this guy yesterday night...” he explained.

“I'm listening,” Tina urged.

But Tina wasn't the only one listening and Blaine suddenly noticed his little spiel had caught the attention of people aside from her. A middle aged couple were both eyeing Blaine judgmentally and another group of teens was giggling at him with cruel looks. Blaine sighed, this seemed about right and he ignored their reactions. He quickly promised her that he'd continue the tales of his sexual exploits at a later time. 

Blaine grabbed onto Tina's hand as they walked down the street. He'd naturally insisted on personally escorting her to the dance studio that she worked at. 

“So tell me Blaine, what do you see in a man? Like, what's your type?” Tina prompted.

No one had ever asked Blaine that question before, including the men he'd dated, so he hardly knew where to begin. “Oh, um, let me see...” Blaine muttered as he tried to think of good words to describe his dream guy. “Passionate...”

“Isn't that what we all want in a man?” Tina teased.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “I don't mean passion during sex... not that that’s a bad thing either. My type of guy is passionate about life and the things he loves. He's also compassionate, full of empathy and exuberance. He's someone who is comfortable in his own shoes and not afraid to express his feelings, which means he'd be out. Unable to act like he needed to hide who he was from the world... just to fit in,” Blaine went on to list. “He's also creative, loves music, and... is the most interesting person I will have ever met...” Blaine continued. “But most of all; he's a romantic at heart, just like me.”

“Is he cute?” Tina asked cheerfully.

Blaine nodded. “Yes of course, but his dashing film-star looks aren't his most striking feature, though still eye catching. What will matter the most is the instant connection felt between us when we first meet, that spark... where I'll know I'd just met the love of my life...”

The dreamy look upon Blaine's face would have made even the most sceptical person believe in the idea of love at first sight.

“Whoever he is, can he have a straight twin brother too please?” Tina said wishfully.

Tina's giggles made Blaine snap out of his little drift off into fantasy, and he gave her a sheepish grin. 

He knew his answer wasn't exactly correct, since Blaine had described a person rather than his over-all type. But he couldn't help it. Blaine had been dreaming up his perfect guy for years, only now he was growing a bit impatient. Where was he? Surely he had to be in New York, so what was taking him so long?

“Well, I'm not sure if I can find him for you...” Tina began.

Blaine smirked in reply. “Oh Tina, honey, please, there's no pressure on you at all. It's not like I'm expecting you to find my soulmate for me. Just if you encounter any single and attractive gay men who are looking to be in an actual relationship be sure to talk me up. With the two of us both searching, that will double my chances of finding someone even remotely close to my ideal guy.”

“You're such a sweetheart, Blaine. I hope I can find a man that's half as good as you. I can see it now, us being all cute and cuddly. Best of all, I'd finally get to show off a hot boyfriend at work. It's not bad or anything but everyone I work with is either married or in a relationship and sometimes their looks of sympathy get really old,” Tina grumbled.

“Have any of them offered to set you up on blind dates?” Blaine asked.

“Yes, only a lot of good that did. I swear I'm not picky...”

“But there's been no connection so far?” Blaine offered, totally relating.

“Yes exactly! Some of them were nice, but none were future husband material... if that makes any sense,” Tina rambled.

It made perfect sense to him, even when Blaine wouldn't be able to legally marry any future boyfriend in his case. Blaine knew it was just a piece of paper, but was it so wrong to want to get married? Blaine was getting ahead of himself though, because he hadn't even met his perfect match yet. Switching back to Tina, because Blaine never wanted everything to be about him, he suddenly got a fun idea. “Wanna see what that's like now? Showing off a cute guy I mean?” he began with a wicked grin.

“Are you offering to be my arm candy, Blaine?”

“Why yes indeed I am. Just for a bit of fun and not to actually fool your co-workers for long. Because you know everyone will just assume we're dating by how close we're acting right now,” he said while holding out his arm to Tina, who took it and the pair strolled down the sidewalk like a happy couple.

Tina smiled, but on the inside she felt a little sorry for Blaine because he couldn't be this affectionate with a guy. Not without the fear of possible retribution anyway. “I'm in, I'll give you a tour of the dance studio, though it's nothing special...” 

“Nonsense, I'm sure it will be very entertaining,” Blaine tutted.

For most people the dance studio where Tina worked was hardly anything to look at, just like Tina had said. But by the way Blaine was gazing at it, one would think he was standing before the Met. Tina led Blaine inside and sure enough, right from the start, the mock-couple's presence was instantly noticed.

“Oh Tina, hey!” a high pitched voice called from the other end of the room.

“Hey there!” Tina called back. “That's the top instructor at the studio,” Tina whispered in Blaine's ear.

Whoever she was, she sure had an impressive set of windpipes to make her voice travel from such a distance. Blaine kept himself close to Tina, who was still holding onto his arm, beaming away as they stood there and waited for Tina's co-worker to make her way over to them. Blaine had every intention of acting like a complete gentleman, but when he recognized the woman all bets were off. “You... you're Rachel Berry!” Blaine shouted in amazement.

Recognizing Rachel was the best thing Blaine could do to instantly win the woman over. She hid her inner delight to ensure she acted poised and professional. “Why yes I am,” she said.

Meanwhile Blaine was unable to hide his own excitement. Rachel Berry was an up and coming Broadway star who'd gotten her first big break during her freshman year of college. Since then she'd been in numerous productions, both on and off of Broadway. Her rise to stardom (or nearly so, since she wasn't a household name just yet) was a story Blaine knew very well. “Oh my god, I love your work! I mean, I haven't had the pleasure to see any of your Broadway shows but now that I live in New York, I've been counting the days until I can see you in one!”

“Well, I hope meeting me in the flesh will hold you off until my next production,” Rachel replied.

“Oh I can wait, it will be well worth it!” Blaine assured bashfully.

Tina cleared her throat loudly to remind Blaine and Rachel she was still there.

Blaine realized his error and was quick to reconcile. “Oh, I'm so sorry Tina, look at me, acting like a crazed fan!” he stuttered.

“Even though you clearly know about her already, this is Rachel Berry,” Tina began.

Rachel smiled at Blaine but allowed Tina to finish the introduction herself.

“Rachel, this is Blaine...” she continued, gesturing to the man at her side.

“Blaine Anderson, it's a pleasure to meet you,” Blaine finished as he took Rachel's hand and kissed it lightly.

“It's nice to meet you too. Have you known our Tina for long?” Rachel chimed.

Blaine shook his head. “For a little over a week now. I recently moved to New York...” he answered, turning to Tina so she could take over the story of their meeting.

“We met at a Laundromat. Blaine was singing out loud to Hall & Oates,” Tina explained.

After the story of their meeting was finished, Blaine shared countless stories from his first week of living in New York, which made both ladies giggle like teenage girls. Blaine soaked up the attention and kept on going, pulling out all the stops.

“Well I hate to break this wonderful conversation, but duty calls, Tina. You're more than welcome to visit the studio again, Blaine. Do you dance?” Rachel said.

“I'm not a total loss when it comes to dancing, so I'll be sure to drop by,” Blaine replied.

Blaine leaned forward to give Tina quick kiss on the cheek. “I'll call you okay? Bye babe,” he said, loud enough for Rachel to hear. “Well, ladies, parting is such sweet sorrow, but I must depart. It was wonderful meeting you Rachel!” he said.

“Bye Blaine!” Tina called as she watched the dapper young man dash out the door.

Rachel waved back at Blaine through the window, turning to give her friend an approving nod when he was gone. “Nicely done, Tina, Blaine is a total dream-boat. I'm so happy that you've found such a catch!” she urged excitedly.

Tina knew actually stating that Blaine was her boyfriend would cross a line since Rachel had always been kind to her. “Actually... Blaine's just a friend... we're not a couple,” Tina quickly corrected.

Rachel frowned at hearing that. “Really? What's the deal with that? He's totally into you!” she exclaimed. 

“We were just having a bit of fun... Blaine's gay,” Tina explained, since she already knew Blaine would be fine with her admitting that.

Amazingly Rachel's eyes widened with surprise and her smile got even larger. “Really? That's perfect!” she shouted. But when Rachel noticed Tina's confusion, she quickly brought her reaction down a peg or two.“Sorry! I mean, that sucks that you two can't date but... please tell me he's single!”

Tina hadn't expected Rachel's interest in Blaine to increase when his true sexual orientation was revealed. “He is... but why are you asking exactly?”

“I've been trying to find someone to set my gay brother up with for ages! But I've had no luck so far and Blaine's totally his type!” Rachel explained, barely able to contain her excitement

This was the first time Tina had ever heard about a gay brother, though Rachel usually kept quiet when it came to her family (aside from her husband Finn, who visited her at the studio almost daily). But the prospect of fulfilling her side of her and Blaine's blind date promise quickly made Tina join Rachel in her excitement. “Oh my god, this is crazy, Rachel! I'm looking for someone to set Blaine up with too!” she exclaimed.

Rachel clutched her hands to her chest; like she was trying to stop an emotional explosion. “It's destiny! It has to be! Just think, because of us, our boys could find their soulmate!”

“Um.. maybe we should calm down a bit and not put too large of an expectation on what could happen,” Tina suggested.

Rachel took the advice right to heart and without any protest, which was a rare occurrence indeed but she loved Kurt that much. “You're right, sorry, I just really want my brother to find someone he can be happy with and love. Here's what we'll do then; on our break we'll swap details about them both, to confirm they're compatible...” Rachel began.

“... and if they are, which I hope they will be, we can bring up the supposed date to each of them. I'm so in!” Tina finished.

Rachel let out a high pitched squeal, “One more thing... I need to get to know Blaine better before I'll let him go on a date with Kurt,” she explained.

“He's that special then?” Tina asked.

Rachel linked arms with Tina, skipping towards the work area as they went. “Tina, you have no idea.”  
____________________________________________________________________________

Special or not, when Kurt was faced with a night free of any work obligations he made no attempts to go out and experience Manhattan's beckoning night life. He worked at a night club to begin with so excitement of that calibre was ordinary for him. Going to other clubs or social establishments when he was off the clock seemed rather arbitrary as well. Besides, when was the last time Kurt had a chance to sit home and just be himself? He was comfortably dressed in a soft cashmere sweater, loose jeans and his hair was still damp from having just taken a blissfully warm bath. Now armed with a cup of rich hot chocolate in hand, Kurt was content just to nest in his beautiful apartment. Never in his wildest dreams had Kurt ever thought he would own (or even rent) such a place. He'd grown up on the less fortunate side of New York, but even then his old neighbourhood wasn't that shabby.

From the first time Kurt had set foot in Chelsea it had been love at first sight. The fated encounter had happened shortly after he'd been taken in by Rachel and her dads. Right when Kurt had nearly hit rock bottom, he found himself whisked off to a swanky party -- against his will, since he was content to brood alone. Kurt was charmed by the city, from its historic district, to its art community and he instantly wished he could live there some day.

For the longest time such a hope seemed liked a far off dream, but his relocation and subsequent purchase of the two bedroom apartment that no normal twenty-eight-year-old could afford were not due to happy circumstances.

Today of all days was one time when Kurt couldn't keep the memories of what had led to his unexpected fortune from resurfacing, because it had happened exactly two years ago.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------  
~ September, 1983 ~

“... making it an event to remember... for years to come,” Kurt finished.

The applause that followed wasn't from a theatre full of adoring Broadway enthusiasts, but the warm reception Kurt received still meant the world to him. Seated on a hospital bed was a man grinning from ear to ear. Considering how he was clearly very sick and deathly pale, the young man obviously thought the world of his storyteller. “That was splendid, Kurt, you have outdone yourself yet again,” he gushed. 

Kurt's face scrunched up with affection and he reached over to pat the hand of the man he was sitting beside on the edge of the bed. “Adam, as always, you're too kind,” he cooed.

It was a typical scene for the pair, one they both treasured. Ever since Adam's health had taken a turn for the worse, Kurt had never left his side. How could he, when they both knew their days together were numbered? Yet throughout Adam's swift deterioration, never once did Kurt's attentive nature falter. He was always there when his boyfriend needed him, whether to see to his comfort, or in this instance, to read him recent news.

Adam's warm smile always picked Kurt back up whenever he was about to give in to the grief that was building in the pit of his stomach. It wouldn't be long now and while the doctor had done his best to break the tragic news as delicately as he could, it was impossible to ignore for long. But Kurt was a very stubborn individual and he wouldn't let death win, at least not yet. Every day left was another treasured memory he could make and hold dear.

“You don't have to stay, Kurt, you should get some rest,” Adam offered.

Kurt rolled his eyes, like he always did whenever Adam put his boyfriend's well-being above his own. “Look who's talking, I can rest here... with you. So we can look after each other like we always do,” he tutted.

Adam willingly gave in and let Kurt remain because he honestly didn't want him to go and Kurt knew this as well. Having Kurt at his side was the only reason he could put on a brave face when he was so close to end of his life. The pain hardly mattered anymore; at this point he nearly wanted it to end but not if it meant that Kurt would have to grieve on his own. “Fine, have it your way,” he said affectionately.

Kurt smirked at his boyfriend and leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. He'd always known starting a relationship with a man who had contracted AIDS was risky, not only for Kurt's health but his emotional well-being. Adam himself had warned Kurt countless times and had tried just as hard to keep him at arm’s length, but when Kurt had finally learned why Adam had tried to push him away so suddenly, he hadn't quit. The past year had taught them both how truly to appreciate life. Adam had given Kurt so much that learning how to let go felt unimaginable. “Is there anything you need, love?” he asked softly.

Before he could answer Adam broke out into a strained fit of coughing and Kurt stroked his back gently. Sweat beaded upon his brow and Kurt instantly wiped it away with his colourful handkerchief from his breast pocket. The moment eventually passed and both men acted like it never happened, when in reality it was becoming more frequent.

“Actually... if you could fetch me the yellow envelope off the table there...” Adam said, pointing towards it.

Once Kurt was sure Adam was settled again, he nodded and slid off the bed to retrieve the item in question. Bringing it back to Adam, who for some odd reason didn't bother to take it from Kurt's outstretched hand.

“Now would you be a dear and open it for me?” Adam requested.

Kurt had no idea what Adam was up to but he'd never find out if he didn't grant the request. Inside the envelope was a professional looking written document. Kurt looked back at Adam, who gave him a consenting nod for Kurt to read it. “I, Adam Crawford, hereby.... upon my death...” Kurt murmured quietly as he read the words, “... leave the sum of...” Kurt continued, only to stop when he saw the sheer amount of zeroes that seemingly went on forever. Even more shocking was that next to the amount of wealth was his own name. “Adam, this is...” he stammered.

“It's my will. I'm leaving everything to you, Kurt, my entire inheritance,” Adam explained, even when he knew Kurt had just read the same facts.

It was too overwhelming to register; Kurt was dumbstruck. “Why?” he breathed

“Because it's mine to give, Kurt, I want you to have it,” Adam answered.

Kurt threw the document on the floor. “This isn't why I chose to date you or why I've stayed by your side! I don't want your money!” he shouted in protest.

“You don't think I know that?” Adam snapped back, only to start coughing again.

Guilt instantly washed over Kurt, but then he'd been so caught off guard by the gift. He put the whole issue aside for the moment so he could see to Adam's health, making sure not to coddle him like a child. His breathing sounded so raspy that it was painful for Kurt to hear and it reminded him what truly mattered in the world.

“I'm alright... or as well as I can be,” Adam assured.

Kurt wasn't so sure but he knew better than to argue about it, since all that would do was lead to an unwanted fight. “Adam, I can't take the money... it's way too much, what about your family?”

“You know money has never been an issue with them and I'm also an only child. I already checked with my parents about leaving my inheritance to you and they've agreed to it. You have never left my side Kurt, even when I gave you plenty of chances to.”

“How could I, if I'd left when you needed me most, what kind of person would that make me?”

“It isn't your job to look after me Kurt, which is something I've told you right from the start.”

At first Adam and Kurt's tale showed every sign of becoming a romantic love story. Their chance meeting in the front of Adam's apartment building had started off so well. Adam had flirted with Kurt, catching his interest and after a few more run-ins a first date soon followed. Every sign led Kurt to believe that Adam was obviously smitten with him but then without any warning, he suddenly backed off. Kurt was totally clueless to why Adam was so bent on pushing him away. It had taken stubborn perseverance but Kurt eventually tracked the Brit down three weeks later and when he got really demanding, Adam finally gave his reason. He was sick and his illness, AIDS, or as it was still commonly known, GRID (Gay-related Immune Deficiency) was incurable. Not only that, but having any sort of sexual contact with Adam would put Kurt in real danger himself.

It was at that point when Kurt had seriously considered giving up on their budding romantic relationship for good. But in the end, he couldn't. When would he ever have the chance to be with someone so wonderful and kind? Such things were rare when you were a gay man and so Kurt had thrown caution to the wind and while it had taken some time, Adam finally gave into his own feelings. Soon after that things quickly turned serious for the new couple, who both wanted the same things in a relationship. But for the longest time and no matter how hard he'd tried to overcome it, Kurt had been too afraid to consummate their relationship in any physical sense. Though Adam assured Kurt he never expected him to, it was still a constant reminder of what they couldn't share.

“Adam, that isn't what this is about. You don't need to repay me, my love can't be bought,” Kurt said.

Adam held his hand out to Kurt, who took it and they remained like that for a while. “I'm going to die, Kurt, and soon. We can pretend I won't... but it's too late for that anymore. This is my way to make sure that when I do go, I'll die knowing you shall be looked after,” Adam began.

Tears were now streaming down Kurt's grief-stricken face. “Adam...” he breathed, only for his boyfriend to hold up his finger to silence him again.

“I want you to take the money and buy yourself a home... in Chelsea.”

“But..”

“No buts Kurt, if you cannot do this for yourself, then do it for me. I need you to be safe, comfortable, happy. I know it will take time to recover and heal from my passing, but as you do... it will be in a place that is your own.”

“I don't want to live in an apartment, no matter how beautiful, if you aren't there to share it with me!” Kurt snapped in a half cry.

“Kurt, take the money, please,” Adam begged.

Even when he was nearing death, Adam knew how to coax his boyfriend into acting more reasonable, though he felt no pride in doing so. Nor did he confess how much he wanted to live with Kurt too, in a charming little Chelsea apartment. He'd had plenty of time, months, to accept his passing and there was so little he could do to ease Kurt's pain. So here was one way and he wasn't going to take no for an answer. 

Kurt couldn't deny Adam's request, because if the tables were turned and he was the one facing his final days then he would have wanted the same thing. So he'd take Adam's gift, allowing them both a sense of security even if bittersweet irony came along with it. Kurt wiped the tears from his eyes and finally nodded. Kurt could barely keep from choking up with emotion as he bent over to pick up the document. He wanted to collapse to the ground but he didn't. Kurt took the pen on the nearby desk and signed the will.

“Thank you, Kurt,” Adam said softly.

Kurt bit his bottom lip; how could he be facing this again and for the third time in his young life? “You're welcome...” he said, because it was all he could manage.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kurt broke away from the memory before he ended up spending the whole night sobbing into one of his expensive silk couch cushions. It had taken him longer than he would have liked but nearly five months after Adam's death, Kurt had managed to keep his promise. He still remembered the day the money had transferred and the total shock when he'd looked at his bank statement afterwards. It was more money than he could ever imagine earning in his lifetime and Kurt wished he didn't have to take it. He'd give away every penny if meant it he could see Adam's smiling face again.

Instead Kurt had started his search to find his perfect home, one he could turn into his own slice of paradise. It didn't take long for Kurt to find it, thanks to his adoptive dads' pro realtor, and as soon as Kurt had set foot into the apartment, he knew he'd found it. He was home. The remainder of Adam's inheritance, aside from the portion he'd put away for an emergency savings account, was spent on furnishing his new home. While tempted, Kurt hadn't splurged on too many expensive impulse buys and even without breaking the bank, he'd transformed the two bedroom apartment into a sight to behold.

Kurt’s initial vision was pure and simple comfort, but there was also a lot of Adam in the apartment even if he hadn't lived to see it. From the paintings and sketches which Adam had done himself, to choosing his late boyfriend's aesthetic tastes and an giving the space an overall British feel in many of the rooms. Of course there were other things Kurt had taken his inspiration from, the soft colour palette of golds and creams were modelled after the Plaza's impressive interiors. The apartment was still unquestionably Kurt's though; combining his many passions to create a Broadway musical lover's dream. 

At first Kurt had only allowed a rare few, like his family and Stephan, to set foot in his humble abode. But, over years, the list had grown and now, even a few of his casual sex partners were granted access. 

There was no point in feeling guilty about that, Adam had talked (lectured more like) at lengths about how Kurt shouldn't resist connecting, even on the smallest level, meaning: sex, with men once he was gone. One year ago Kurt had finally admitted his grieving period needed to be over and it was time for him to move on.

Having a comfortable home to live in was all nice and good, but Kurt had reached a point in his life where he wanted someone to share it with. “I guess it's time to actually try to find my perfect match,” Kurt said with a wishful sigh. Kurt found himself staring at the photo of Adam he had placed on his mantel last year, smiling at his warm face. “Can anybody find me somebody to love?”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Finding potential boyfriends would have to wait though, because before Kurt could fully dive into the dating pool, there was a meeting to attend. After he was no longer banished from the club, Kurt returned to his place of work the following night. To Kurt's surprise the episode between himself and Oates was already old news (so much for it being a 10), thanks to a scandalous affair between the DJ and the head of a major corporation. 

So when Kurt stepped into the conference room his normal air of authority was still firmly in place. Not even when he took notice of the curly-haired man sitting to Stephan's left did he react. Kurt even chose the open chair directly across from Oates, not willing to shy away off in the corner. He wanted his nemesis right where he could see him.

Stephan and Sam, the other two men in the room, were completely ignored by the pair, much to their amusement.

“Oh god, this is gonna be a blood bath isn't it?” Sam whispered to the club owner.

But Stephan's expression was one of amusement, not fear. In fact, he looked downright excited about the scene before him. “Relax, they're both too professional for that. Think of this as a peace negotiation... you'll see,” he assured.

“Hummel,” Blaine said politely, to the point of coldness.

“Oates,” Kurt dished back, equally formal with his tone.

“Gentlemen,” Stephan said in a loud voice. “Now that we're all here...” he began. “Our meeting today is for us to decide what songs Sam and... Oates,” Stephan finally said after he caught Kurt's threatening glare. “... should perform next to keep things fresh.”

Kurt put his dislike of Oates aside so he could turn his attention to the job at hand. Ever the professional, Kurt reached into his briefcase and pulled out a small collection of papers. “Right, so... your rendition of Hall & Oates was very well received...” Kurt began, pausing when he saw Oates’ cocky look. “But the last thing we need is for you two to become predictable, or boring. So I've collected a list of song possibilities, as well as ones made from my own personal knowledge and favourites, then I also got feedback from our regulars and researching the Billboard charts. Needless to say the list I ended up with is very long... so our job will be to narrow the selections down,” Kurt explained. “I trust the two of you have brought your own lists like I requested?” 

Sam simply nodded and handed his own list to Blaine, so he wouldn't have to get any closer to Hummel. Blaine rolled his eyes at his duet partner's hesitance but he still stood up and bent forward to hand off said papers to Hummel.

Kurt in turn handed back two copies of his own list, finally noticing Oates’ look of surprised confusion. “To cross-reference,” he explained. “What? Did you think I was just going to decide all the songs by myself? If that were the case then why bother with this meeting at all?” he scoffed.

“But before we focus on the song portion... there are other details we need to discuss. Are there any comments either of you boys wish to make? Suggestions perhaps?” Kurt prompted.

Blaine was yet again surprised by Hummel giving so many opportunities to voice their opinions. It went against nearly everything Blaine had pegged the bossy co-manager as so far. “Well... honestly, I think for our Hall & Oates stint we focused too much on the cover band aspect. I mean, we don't need to copy any band’s entire look. There's already the real deal for that and Flare isn't a Vegas show house...” Blaine said. 

“Thank you! I've been telling Stephan the exact same thing!” Kurt replied.

The room fell silent, save for Sam's quiet gasp. Had the would-be enemies actually agreed on something?

“What do the both of you suggest then?” Stephan urged, moving the meeting along.

Kurt was happy to take over the conversation when Oates made no attempts to go first. “No more replicated costumes and wigs. From now on the focus should be on their voices and ability to sing their own take on the songs.”

“I dunno if remixes would be wise to attempt...” Blaine warned.

The snark was back and out to play, as was Kurt's usual dislike of anything Oates said. “You misunderstand me, Oates. I don't mean we should alter the songs completely and lose the original feel of the numbers. I simply meant that of course you wouldn't need to completely recreate the whole atmosphere. So without the get-ups this time... but you still will be expected to dress accordingly,” Kurt explained.

“Um, I dunno about Oates but my own clothing allowance is pretty low,” Sam said, finally speaking up.

Kurt's stern expression softened. “Don't worry, Sam, leave the wardrobes to me. I have a very keen eye when it comes to fashion and I'm a pro bargain hunter. You won't have to pay for your stage clothes. I already know who can help me with the hair and makeup part too.”

“Makeup?” Blaine asked warily.

“The glam look is in. It's all about blending gender lines. But don't freak out; I have no plans to turn you into drag queens. If I wanted that sort of show then I'd ask the real pros,” Kurt assured.

“Just checking,” Blaine said in defence, because he didn't have a prejudiced bone in his body.

“I also think we shouldn't focus on one band this time around. You should do a whole range of groups and songs,” Kurt added and that suggestion was also met with no resistance from anyone.

“I think you're all onto something here and everything has my support. I'm very glad I have three employees who are so invested in their work,” Stephan praised.

The compliment humbled Blaine and Kurt enough to put their differences aside to keep the meeting peaceful.

For once Kurt chose to start with the positive and how a number of the songs on both Oates' and Sam's lists were on his own as well. “Alright, I'm liking a lot of what I see here... you both have good music taste...” Kurt muttered. “'Take on Me', good, that's a given of course... ‘You Spin Me Right Round’, another must for sure,” Kurt mumbled.

“’Too Shy’ by Kajagoogoo, I'm glad you have it,” Blaine commented.

“I love that song! Sweet, we all have ‘Working for the Weekend’ by Loverboy on our lists!” Sam nearly shouted.

“That's four songs then, so far so good,” Stephan said with an amused laugh.

“’Obsession’ by Animotion, really, Hummel?” Blaine asked in surprise.

Little did Oates know that the song one was one of Kurt's all-time favourites. “Try to tell me you could resist dancing to it,” Kurt scoffed.

Blaine held his tongue. He was unwilling to admit he loved the song too and was just surprised that Hummel knew it at all.

Kurt let the confrontation drop, confident that the song would end up on the final list and he moved onwards.“How is it that neither of you bothered to put on any songs from Wham! on your lists? Don't tell me you're not fans, you'd have to be tone deaf not to be!” Kurt grumbled.

One of Blaine's new favourite pastimes was to contradict Hummel and prove that even he could be wrong. “Actually, the reason they're not on the list is because we both love the band too much to do just one song,” Blaine spoke up.

“Nearly everyone I asked around the club named a Wham! song, so I don't think we can afford to leave them off,” Kurt countered.

“Then just think how much they'll love us doing a whole set list dedicated to them in the future,” Blaine said, ready to dish back any resistance Hummel threw his way. “And you did ask for our opinion, remember?” Blaine added in a sassy tone.

“Do we even need to be here?” Sam whispered to Stephan.

“Shh, it's just getting to the good part,” Stephan hissed.

Kurt narrowed his eyes at Oates. Who knew there was so much sass inside his tiny body. Normally Kurt wouldn't hold back his superior wit and show just how good he was at getting his way. But then, if he were to stoop to Oates' level, Kurt was the one who had more to lose. What Kurt needed was something to barter with and as he looked back at Oates' list, such an opportunity arose. “Big talk from a man who put 'Walk like an Egyptian' on his list,” Kurt taunted.

If there was one thing Blaine wasn't about to take, it was someone dissing the Bangles, and now he was finally willing to let his anger out. “Do you have something against the song? Or the group?” Blaine demanded.

The room went cold from the icy stare Oates projected; only Kurt remained impervious to it. “Not exactly, but I do have something against you singing that song in my club. I can already picture the corny dance moves you'd pull...” Kurt said with a horrified shudder.

“Why are you so against having any sort of fun?” Blaine snapped.

“When are you planning to grow up and act like an adult?” Kurt barked in reply.

“Neither of you sound very mature right now. Don't make me have to ground you both again,” Stephan threatened with a smile on his face.

While Stephan's words of warning were clearly empty threats, the pair quickly realized how petty they were acting. They'd never get anything done, or stop the gossip from flowing if they couldn't learn to live with each other.

“I have a compromise,” Kurt said.

Blaine eyed Hummel suspiciously. “I'm listening...”

“I won't insist on adding any Wham! songs to the set list if you agree to take 'Walk like an Egyptian' off,” Kurt said.

“What about us doing a whole tribute performance to Wham?” Blaine reminded him.

“I won't rule it out yet if you do well with this set,” Kurt chimed.

Blaine paused to look at Sam, who nodded in support and he extended his hand in offering. “Okay, deal,” he declared.

They shook on it. Neither man was very sure if the former would hold to their agreement but for now they'd give each other the benefit of the doubt. By the end of the meeting seven more songs were added and amazingly, everyone present for the meeting was happy with the resulting set list.

Blaine was the first to leave; going back to his original plan to steer clear of Hummel until absolutely necessary now that the meeting was over.

Stephan went next but not before he whispered something to Kurt, who nodded and didn't follow his boss out of the room.

Sam was about to go himself until Kurt glided over to block his path. “So Sam, Stephan told me what you told him...” Kurt began.

Intimidated and downright scared, Sam winced in anticipation but the angry lecture never came. To his surprise Hummel's normally stoic face softened to a warm smile. “Uh... about what?” Sam stuttered.

“About you hiding your heterosexuality,” Kurt said.

Relief washed over Sam, who already felt relaxed by the calming air Hummel was now giving off. So it wasn't about how he'd been the one to accidentally start the rumour that Hummel and Blaine had slept together. “Oh yeah... right... that...” he said sheepishly. “Look, I never meant to lie like that... I just didn't know if...”

Kurt placed his hands on Sam's shoulders. “It's okay, I get why you did and I just wanted to let you know that this changes nothing. We hired you for your talent and you've kept your job because of that and your hard work ethic. So who you're attracted to doesn't apply here. If anything it shows how much you wanted the job,” Kurt told him.

What could have been an awkward situation wasn't, all because Sam instantly accepted this new side of Hummel. “I applied for the job 'cause I really needed the money and I was willing to pretend I was gay to get it. I honestly had no idea what to expect but I seriously didn't know places like this even existed. I don't mean gay bars either... I know those have been around for ages. When I come to Flare I just get to rock it out with guys who love music like I do. I dunno, it makes me feel less pressured I guess. I was always getting harassed in school because I was in band class,” Sam rambled.

Kurt grinned at Sam and patted his shoulder lightly before dropping his hands. “I'm glad you told Stephan the truth but I'd stop there. As much as I hate to admit, not everyone will react well to the news. Some will judge you for it and others... will probably try to turn you,” he explained.

Sam quickly decided that Blaine had passed judgement way too quickly on Hummel but he wasn't about to tell his friend that opinion. Because he had no desire to involve himself in that mess, they could deal with it on their own. “I figured that, it's okay. I'm managing so far,” Sam said.

No matter what anyone thought of Kurt, there was no denying how stubborn he could be when those he felt responsible for were involved. “We take care of our own here, Sam. I don't want any of the staff to feel reluctant about bringing any issue to our attention. So this is what's going to happen: we'll keep your sexual orientation a well-guarded secret as long as you promise to come to me if anyone gives you a hard time. While I try to keep things safe, I can only do so much. So if any guy gets too forward with their sexual advances... then I want names, Sam,” Kurt instructed.

“Sure, but I don't have any to give... at least not yet,” Sam assured.

“Not even the guy you made out with?” Kurt asked with an amused grin.

“Naw, I was drunk and just went with it, so no issues to report on that end,” Sam said with a chuckle.

Kurt joined in on the laughter, which was something he really needed right now. “Alright then, just remember that I have a talent for making pushy men rethink their life choices,” he stated, his voice dropping to a lower register.

Sam couldn't help but shiver and he was extremely grateful he would never be one to find out how Hummel did it. Unlike his duet partner, Sam was more than willing to accept Hummel as an alley rather than stubbornly keep him on enemy lines. “Thanks Hummel, this means a lot to me. You're a good guy,” he said.

Kurt took the compliment into account and chose to reward Sam for it. “My first name is Kurt, but please keep that to yourself okay,” he whispered.

Even after only working at Flare for a week and a half, Sam knew what a valuable gift had just been bestowed upon him. Along with learning Kurt's elusive first name came the reward of earning his favour and thus his complete support in everything. Only he was still new enough not to realize just how deep Kurt's loyalties ran. Sam chose to quit while he was ahead and took his leave. Making a silent vow never to tell Blaine what he had just learned. It turned out that Hard-Ball-Hummel wasn't so bad after all and hidden beneath his rigid exterior was a kindhearted man. In fact, as Sam thought about it a bit more, Kurt actually reminded him of someone he knew and that someone was Blaine.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

“Seriously Rachel, a blind date? Come on. Do I look that desperate to you?” Kurt whined.

“You just said you wanted to date more!” Rachel pointed out.

It was true that Kurt had uttered those very words but if he'd known that Rachel was about to suggest a date with a suitor of her choosing, he wouldn't have bothered. All Kurt wanted when he'd said that was to receive a little encouragement from his adoptive sister, not for her to nose her way into his private life. His family never stopped asking questions about his romantic life and thanks to the facts he was nearing thirty and Rachel got married two years ago, they had actually increased. 

“I was sort of hoping I'd meet my future boyfriend by chance, like on a stairway for instance,” Kurt said, half joking.

“Sometimes love doesn't fall into your lap so easily, Kurt,” Rachel tutted. 

“It did for you, Little Miss I-married-my-high-school-sweetheart,” Kurt sassed. 

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Finn and I had our share of drama and breakups... but I'm not about to feel guilty!”

Kurt's days of feeling bitter over how annoying heterosexual couples could be were long over with, so he let the issue drop. “Sorry, I'm just not too sold about getting set up on a blind date all of a sudden,” he admitted.

“Don't you trust my ability to pick out a quality guy for you? Because I didn't just find someone on the street. He went through a rigorous screening process and I can hardly believe how well he came out. Kurt, he's perfect for you!” Rachel gushed. 

If Rachel's excitement over the prospect was any indicator, then maybe Kurt should just go for it. What did he really have to lose anyway? “What's his name and how do you know him?” Kurt asked.

“It's Blaine and he's a friend Tina's, who's of a co-worker of mine. He escorted her to the studio two days ago,” Rachel answered.

“Escorted? What is he some sort of fairy tale prince?” Kurt muttered. It would explain why Rachel had been won over in only two days.

“Better! He's a romantic, Kurt, and a very handsome one at that.”

“I guess it wouldn't hurt, but I still want to hear more about him before I agree to-”

“No, sorry, but not this time, Kurt. I know you and how you love the element of surprise. So I'm not going to tell you a word more about Blaine. You will just have to trust my judgement and see for yourself... or else I'm sure if I were to go to Flare I'd find someone who'd want to go on the date in your place. You know, if you're too scared to...” Rachel taunted, albeit playfully.

He had to hand it to Rachel, she knew how correctly to manipulate him into getting her way. But really, there was no point to resisting when Kurt would get to meet a cute boy, who Rachel certainly felt hopeful about. He owed it to himself and Adam and heck, even Rachel herself, to actually try to reach for happiness. Or else the ignorant haters of the world, who thought homosexuality was a horrible sin, would win. Everyone deserved to find love and to be loved in return and Kurt wanted his turn to come. If it didn't then at the very least, Kurt hoped he would get an attractive hook up out of it to add to his small list. 

“Alright, I'm in... but this guy of yours better be all that you say he is... and more,” Kurt warned.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

Why had Blaine ever thought that maybe Hummel wasn't so controlling? Yet again it hadn't taken much for Blaine's first assumptions of the man to be proved correct. Blaine had arrived at the club, coming straight from his day job, to learn gruelling rehearsals were in order before they could perform their new set list. That wasn't so bad because Blaine was actually glad they were given time to work on the numbers beforehand. But he hadn't expected Hummel to nominate himself as their choreographer and the worst thing was he was very good at it. Whether it came to making suggestions about their dance steps or vocal performances, all of it was excellent advice. That didn't mean Blaine enjoyed being constantly yelled at, as if he were an exotic dancer for hire.

“No! No way! This is where I draw the line! I'm not doing that dance move! It’s way too… too...” Blaine struggled as he racked his brain for a word. “Cheap!” he protested, throwing his hands up in the air.

Kurt cut the music, and with a smirk he crossed his hands over his chest. “What's wrong? Afraid of a little sex appeal? You're performing in a gay club, not a church event. Sex sells. Take a look at Sam over here...” he said, gesturing to the blond who was effortlessly pulling off the provocative hip movement like a skilled stripper. “He's not having any trouble,” Kurt added.

“If I wanted to I could do it just as well, but I refuse to go there...” Blaine sputtered off.

“And why not?” Kurt demanded.

“Because I'm not for sale!” Blaine shouted back. 

Same gaped in surprise. He stood frozen still as he watched Kurt's shocked expression change to barely controlled rage.

Kurt quickly collected himself and fought to keep his anger under control, or at least until there were no spectators around. “Sam, would you please take a break so Oates and I can talk... alone,” requested. 

Sam bolted for the door, happy to be dismissed and as soon as he was gone Kurt stepped right up to Oates, staring down at him. Kurt doubted Oates had intentionally thrown his words of anger to hurt him, but the accusation still stung. None of Kurt's sexual experiences had been done for money but he did regret a number of them. It had taken Kurt a long time to learn to value himself and it hadn't clicked in until he'd met Adam.

“I never sold my body for sex,” Kurt said coldly.

Blaine might have felt guilty, except that Kurt was twisting his words to put him in a bad light again. “I never said you did! Don't put words in my mouth,” he snapped. 

“It sure sounded like that, so maybe next time be more careful with how you word things.”

“As long as you try not to jump to conclusions all the time.”

They were getting nowhere and even without anyone to bring that fact to their attention, Blaine and Kurt knew it already. The way things were going, pretty soon their mutual dislike of one another would affect their work performance, which was something neither man could afford.

Kurt never liked to force anyone to do anything, whether they were right or in this instance, very stubbornly wrong. “Fine, don't do the dance move, we'll leave it to Sam to bring on the smoulder. Just don't feel bad if he's the one who gets all the offers at the end of the night. Too bad he's on the wrong team,” Kurt warned.

“You know he's straight?” Blaine asked in surprise.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Of course I know, Stephan told me right away. It's my business to know everything that goes on in this place. While it's your job to entertain the men who come here -- with music alone... at least when you're on the clock.”

“Do you always need to make everything be about sex?” Blaine said with a tired sigh.

“Don't most gay men do that already?” Kurt countered.

“Yes and you're only helping support the stereotype, I bet half the stuff you go on about is wildly inaccurate anyway.”

“What have you heard? I think it's time I set the record straight,” Kurt remarked as he was getting sick of the whole thing.

Only Blaine wasn't about to play any of Hummel's games, or trust what he said would be the truth. “If it's all the same, I'd much better get back to rehearsing, since it's my job,” he said.

“Fine with me, only I have better things to do than stand here and listen to you bitch and whine about my suggestions...”

“More like orders you mean,” Blaine interrupted, unable to hold back the snarky remark.

What Kurt needed to do was go pick out his outfit for his blind date, which was set up to happen that Friday night. Maybe the best part about agreeing to the date was Kurt would have something to distract him from Oates and his lip. His patience long gone, Kurt gave Oates one final glare before storming off, passing Sam as he went, and he ignored him as well. “Do I ever need to meet a quality guy for once,” Kurt grumbled to himself as he went.  
____________________________________________________________________________

For the first time in three years Blaine found himself on a date, and a blind one at that. Needless to say he was a bundle of nerves and he had no idea how calm down. Maybe that was because the last time he was in this situation he'd ended up dating a cheating cad for thirty trying months. It certainly wasn't because Blaine thought his date would turn out to be a dud, despite how little he knew about Kurt. The girls had said that Kurt was a romantic and someone looking for something more than a one night stand. Considering Blaine had gone through the wringer to meet Rachel's approval, this Kurt almost sounded too good to be true. So even with the risk of Rachel over-selling, Blaine was very anxious to meet him, hence his growing nerves.

Just this once Blaine wanted to meet someone he could connect to, who was on the same team and wanted the same things he did.

“Calm down Blaine, it's only a date... remember how good you are at those,” he whispered to himself.

The restaurant where the blind date would take place was the first pleasant surprise. It offered French cuisine at a more affordable price and the dishes that passed Blaine sure looked appetizing. Apparently Kurt had chosen the place, so that was another plus for him.

At least Blaine knew what to keep an eye out for when it came to recognizing his date for the evening, even when he hadn't seen a single photo of him. Thanks to the ingenuity of Tina and Rachel, the solution had come rather easily. Make it bright. To recognize one another, both men had agreed to dress in bold colours. Blaine had opted to go with a canary yellow suit jacket and matching pants. Underneath the jacket was a navy sweater-vest and finally Blaine topped the outfit off with a striped bow-tie. His hair held a bit more product than usual but not so much to totally slick down his wavy curls, which both Tina and Rachel assured looked good. 

Blaine crossed his ankles as he twiddled his thumbs at his table, waiting. Kurt was due to arrive at any minute and Blaine could hardly wait. He was looking for a tall brunette dressed in teal and purple, which shouldn't be hard for him to miss. Still, at the rate Blaine was going, if Kurt didn't show up soon he'd never survive long enough to actually meet him.

Blaine’s keen eyes caught a hint of teal at the entrance of the restaurant and he held his breath in anticipation. Since the establishment was quite busy he couldn't see the man's face through the sea of people. Blaine rose up from his seat, only to sit back down, because he didn't want to come off as too eager.

His eyes never left the figure, whose back was currently turned, showing off a pair of broad shoulders. 'Turn around,' he silently urged. As if by magic or from some connection that had already started to form, the man in question finally complied.

Blaine's mouth hung open from what he saw, only his startled state wasn't because he'd suddenly laid eyes on his soulmate.

“Why? Why is it always him?” Blaine cried out in dismay.

For some unknown reason, Blaine's luck when it came to serendipity was hardly idealistic, because Blaine knew that face. It was Hummel. Kurt Hummel, he corrected, the last person he wanted to see dressed in a suit of that colour. But there was no denying it, not when his dress shirt was a striking purple as well.

“Oh god, there's really no escaping him,” Blaine groaned.

At first he thought he could change his fate and make a hasty retreat to avoid the whole mess but it was already too late, because Kurt had spotted him.

With nowhere to go, Blaine held his ground and watched as Hummel slowly made his way over to their reserved table, scowling all the way.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Hummel said in a curt voice, with arms crossed.

Blaine for one hardly felt like laughing, even if it would help release the rising tension growing between them. There were so many ways Blaine could respond to the comment, none of which were very cordial. “I was about to say the same thing,” he chimed. 

Kurt's eyes narrowed; how was this even possible? “You're Blaine?” he accused, still hardly believing it could be true.

“Blaine Anderson to be exact,” Blaine corrected.

Kurt pinched the sides of his sinus. How could he have let this even happen? Where had be gone wrong? “This is a nightmare...” he groaned.

“One we could have avoided if you hadn't been so stubborn about learning my real name,” Blaine pointed out.

Right when Blaine thought that Kurt was about to deny their disaster of a date was even happening, Kurt slumped down in the chair opposite to Blaine. At first Kurt resisted eye contact with Blaine altogether and when he could ignore him no longer, he let out an exasperated sigh. 

If there was one thing Blaine hated it was being ignored and he wasn't about to be treated in such a way, not even from the likes of Kurt Hummel. “Why are you still here?” Blaine questioned. 

Kurt glared at Blaine. “I'm not leaving until I drink liquor to deal with this disaster of a blind date,” he grumbled and snapped his fingers to catch a nearby waiter’s attention. “I'll have a vodka on the rocks and make it a double, if you please.”

“I'll have the same, thanks,” Blaine spoke up, unwilling to back down and admit such a strong drink wasn't his normal order.

The wait for their drink orders to arrive was spent in seething silence, until Blaine could no longer take Kurt's judgemental stares.

“What?” Blaine finally asked.

Kurt made no attempt to soften his hardened gaze and he kept glaring at Blaine with narrowed eyes. “I'm trying to figure out how you won over Rachel so easily. I normally would never doubt her judgement of character but somehow you slipped past her defences,” he muttered suspiciously.

“Maybe I'm not the man you think I am. Have you ever thought of that?” Blaine remarked begrudgingly.

He had in fact but Kurt was in too snarky a mood to admit that to Blaine, or to himself for that matter. “The same could be said for you, or why else would you even agree to the date?” Kurt countered.

“I wanted to meet a nice guy, so imagine my surprise when he turned out to be you instead,” Blaine threw back.

They kept antagonizing one another with their eyes as they slowly reached for the drinks. Kurt was the first to take a long drink, never breaking eye contact when the strong liquor burned down his throat. Blaine did his best to keep up an impressive poker face but failed as he started to choke and cough as soon as the vodka went down.

Kurt shook his head at Blaine's pathetic state. “You're such a lightweight,” he teased.

Only once Blaine got his breathing under control did he bother to reply to the taunt. “Well who the fuck drinks vodka straight?” he wheezed.

“It's my go-to drink when I want to get drunk fast,” Kurt tutted.

Blaine's next attempt to drink was far better than his first, though of course Kurt didn't bother to comment this time. “You know what has me the most surprised?” Blaine began, unsure where he was going, but he didn't stop himself. When Kurt didn't tell him to shut up he took that as a blessing to continue. “That Rachel told me you're a romantic,” he admitted.

Little did Blaine know that when it came to the matters of the heart, Kurt's passion held no bounds and unlike when he was at the club, he felt no urge to keep his true feelings hidden. “Is it that much of a surprise to you? How even I would want to fall in love and spend the rest of my life with someone?”

Blaine blinked in surprise; this was a whole new side of Kurt he had never seen before. “I just said it was,” he reminded Kurt.

Kurt let out a tired sigh but for once Blaine was not at fault. “I suppose I deserve it... at least when it comes to how I act at the club. But what you need to realize is, that's all it is, an act. You might think ill of me to act so differently at Flare but you have no idea what it takes to keep ahead of the game there.”

“You're acting like you're running the gauntlet instead of managing a gay club,” Blaine said.

“Oh in many ways I am, but don't get me wrong. I love my job and I wouldn't still be around if I didn't enjoy the environment. There are still so few places where gay men can find acceptance so easily, where for one night fear isn't lurking behind every corner.”

“I'm not disputing that and I honestly think Flare is unique in that aspect. I haven't been to many gay clubs but that doesn't mean I can't tell how it’s different from the rest,” Blaine admitted.

Kurt took a pause to down a few more gulps of his drink as his hardened gaze softened ever so slightly. Was Blaine managing to charm his way past Kurt's barriers? No, it had to be the booze's doing.

“So you are a real romantic then? That's not just a disguise to exploit as well?” Blaine challenged.

“Yes, why is that so hard for you to believe?” Kurt demanded.

Right now Blaine couldn't remember a single thing that he could give as a valid answer. Blaine swigged back more vodka, allowing the intensity to shock his system a bit. “I honestly have no idea... and maybe that should be a sign that our ongoing feud is wearing thin,” Blaine said.

While Kurt was never one to shy away from change he still stiffened at the idea, mainly because he had no idea what Blaine was trying to say. “What do you suggest we do instead?”

“I came here today to meet someone I thought shared many of the same values as me. Who was looking for something long term. To my surprise, one I never would have wished upon myself, that guy turned out to be you. It seems to me that we're paying the price for acting so stubbornly resistant to one another.” 

Kurt's face scrunched up in annoyance. “You're hardly putting yourself in a good light right now,” he admitted.

“Let me help reconcile that then,” Blaine said as he caught their waiter’s attention and ordered them another round of drinks. 

During the wait Blaine was finally able to fully appreciate just how well Kurt knew how to dress. His teal suit had a detailed embossed pattern across it, which almost shone when it hit the light. Pinned upon the left breast pocket of the jacket was a vintage silver heart pin, an attention to detail that didn't pull too much focus from the overall look. The front of Kurt's rich purple dress shirt was left bare, with no tie or any sort of garnish and again, it worked flawlessly. If this truly was the first time Blaine and Kurt had met, Blaine would have found him entrancing, to say the very least.

“How is it that we've come to here?” Kurt asked, breaking the looming silence.

“I guess we don't really know each other at all,” Blaine offered.

His first drink done and his second well underway, Kurt managed to smile at Blaine playfully. “I guess it wouldn't hurt to try to,” he said.

Blaine perked up at the idea. In his semi-tipsy state it was easy for him to pretend that Hummel and Kurt weren't even the same person. “How about this? Let's act like we haven't met before now. That we're just two hopeful romantics going on a blind date set up by their friends?” he coaxed.

“I'm afraid it's a little too late for that,” Kurt said.

The instant shut-down caught Blaine fully off guard and he frowned at Kurt. “Why?” he asked. Blaine couldn't think of a single thing he'd done that night that was even remotely offensive.

Kurt's expression was still oddly playful as he held up his nearly empty glass and waved it in front of Blaine, clinking the ice cubes together. “I've had half a drink too many for me to go on a legitimate date right now. I'm afraid if I were to try... all I'd end up doing is pulling that bowtie of yours off with my teeth,” he explained.

Without any warning the mental image popped into his brain and Blaine hardly knew what to say in response. “Are you saying you what I think you're saying?” he stammered.

“I think it's high time we both admit how we at least find each other sexually attractive. We kept checking each other out at the aerobics class, or rather, since day one really,” Kurt said. 

Drunk Kurt sure was different to the Hummel Blaine had come to dislike so much but he wasn't sure which one he actually preferred. “I'm not about to deny that. I totally get why so many guys are willing to try their luck with you at the club,” he confessed.

Kurt's eyes twinkled; flattery when he was this liquored up could get him everywhere and then some. “If you're trying to seduce me you're not doing so well,” he taunted.

No amount of vodka could fully wipe the cocky air that followed Kurt wherever he went and Blaine's sassy side was back. “Hah, I bet you're not even that good of a lay,” he threw back.

On an impulsive whim, Kurt chose to let out his wild side, which was to blame for most of the wild gossip circulating around the club for the past decade. Like a predator sizing up his prey, Kurt pushed out his chair and glided over towards Blaine, radiating so much sexual energy that everyone around their table felt it, Blaine most of all.

When the normally dapper young man found himself staring into the most alluring pair of blue eyes, Blaine couldn't look away. Nor could he stop his gaze from moving towards Kurt's equally tempting mouth and then, in the blink of an eye there was suddenly no space between their lustful faces anymore.

Blaine had actually made the first move but only seconds before Kurt had intended to go for it and the end result, well it was certainly a pleasant surprise. They locked lips aggressively, barely controlling the passion surging between them. Kurt kissed Blaine back, grabbing onto his shoulder and the younger man melted into his embrace. 

They were too preoccupied to hear the shocked gasps erupting throughout the restaurant, many of which were made in outrage. Such extreme reactions showed how two men kissing in broad daylight and for all to see was completely unheard of. 

Blaine and Kurt were still oblivious to the reactions that their public display of affection brought on. That is, until their bold and unwise gesture made the maître d’ storm over to actually pull the two apart before they could go back for more. 

“Gentleman, you need to leave,” he said firmly.

Kurt was the first to recover and cast the man a polite but strictly impersonal glance in acknowledgement. He now saw his error in judgement, not in kissing Blaine or letting passion take over because the kiss between them had been too amazing to regret on any level. But Kurt knew better than to conduct that sort of behaviour in a place like this. The fact that they weren't being physically thrown out on the street was the only reason he was willing to comply to their request. 

Blaine, who had never done anything like this before, merely nodded when Kurt looked his way. Seeing how they hadn't even ordered their dinner yet, he was fine to leave and escape the judgemental eyes upon them. 

Kurt threw some twenty dollar bills onto the table and in one final act of defiance, took hold of Blaine's hand and led him out of the building.

Outside but not out of the fire yet, Blaine let out an awkward laugh. “Well that was a first,” he said.

“Which one? Kissing a guy in an open restaurant or getting kicked out of one?” Kurt asked.

“Both,” Blaine admitted.

Kurt wished he could say the same thing about the kissing a guy in a restaurant part, but a pizza place on Alphabet city hardly counted. “Wanna keep doing crazy things tonight?” he urged, his voice low and seductive.

When Kurt spoke in his lower register, his usually shrill voice did things to Blaine that made his whole body tingle, and one area in particular most of all. “How crazy are we talking here?” he questioned.

Kurt urged Blaine to start walking down the street, figuring if they remained on the go they'd bring less attention to themselves. “Come home with me,” he whispered in Blaine's ear.  
  
No matter how much Blaine wanted to, accepting Kurt's offer was beyond crazy but he wasn't about to listen to reason right now. So Blaine forgot how until that evening he would have never thought he'd find himself so ready to go and sleep with Hard-Ball-Hummel. He forgot that they were more than new acquaintances and that Kurt was one of his bosses. He even managed to push any possible consequences aside, because he wanted it to happen that badly.

The decision made Blaine shot forward to the edge of the street with Kurt in tow. “Taxi!” Blaine yelled out with barely contained urgency.  
___________________________________________________________________________

“You live in Chelsea, why am I not surprised,” Blaine teased as he found himself pushed through a now open apartment door.

“Well I wasn't about to do this at your place, not with who your roommate is,” Kurt growled.

Kurt had a point, knowing Hunter he'd either become an epic cock-block or try to convince them both to have a threesome. Blaine felt in no mood to share Kurt, especially with the likes of him.

“Good thing I'm not here to look at your fancy apartment then. This is nothing more than a booty call,” Blaine said lustfully.

“You sure know how to woo a guy,” Kurt flirted back as he kissed Blaine's lips again.

The whole journey from the restaurant to Kurt's front door had been full of stolen and anxious kisses whenever they were alone. Blaine and Kurt had made out in the back seat of the taxi, but considering the large tip they'd let with the cab driver, they hardly felt guilty.

“I also know how to screw one, for the record,” Blaine announced cheekily.

Kurt rolled his eyes from the corny pun. “Is that your way of telling me you're a top?”

“What? No! I'm way more flexible with my sexual preferences. So's my body, just so you know.”

“You're a versatile then too? Well that should make things interesting and way more enjoyable than I'd hoped.”

Blaine didn't roll his eyes, though he felt tempted to. Banter was all good and fun, especially the snarky type, but whenever they talked for long it tended to overtake everything else. It was time to break away from the usual and experience something new.

While the pair busily made out they hardly noticed how they were shuffling backwards until Blaine's rear-end hit the backside of Kurt's couch. “Easy there,” Blaine laughed in warning, though he hardly meant it.

Meanwhile Kurt was getting a bit too turned on by Blaine's busy hands and was loudly moaning as a result. He could hardly help it, not when Blaine’s thigh was rubbing against his dick through his pants. When Kurt had a few vodkas in him then his normal hold on patience was nowhere to be seen. “Shit,” he swore under his breath.

Blaine knew exactly what he was doing and while their coming together in this way showed they were making some peace, he still enjoyed the fact that he could press Kurt's buttons so easily. Not that he could talk, the erection he was sporting was equally hard and just as difficult to ignore. Good thing Kurt wasn't a passive partner, and was now clumsily trying to undo Blaine's bow-tie.

“What happened to using your teeth?” Blaine teased.

“And possibly ruin a perfectly good fashion accessory, please, you don't know me at all,” Kurt scoffed.

“Yeah and you don't know anything about me either, I thought that was pretty clear by now,” Blaine threw back, though his tone was still playfully flirtatious.

After Kurt managed to successfully undo Blaine's tie he went right onto getting Blaine out of his yellow blazer next, pulling it off his shoulders. Once Blaine realized what he was doing, he turned around so Kurt could fully remove it. Not one to take a back seat, not even during sex, Blaine turned the tables and quickly took off Kurt's next. Their jackets were thrown over the back of the couch and quickly abandoned so they could make out some more.

Soon their dress shirts were taken off as well and those didn't even make it to the couch and tumbled to the floor. But Kurt no longer cared so much about clothes. What he really wanted to do was remove every single layer still remaining on the both of them.

“Bedroom?” Blaine asked with a groan.

“Oh fuck yeah,” Kurt gasped and that was all the coaxing he needed.

The short trip to Kurt's lovely master bedroom was filled with more laughter, in fact right from the moment they had both kissed it had never stopped. Their ability to embrace humour so easily wasn't fully attributed to the vodka they consumed either. Both men were enjoying themselves a great deal and neither felt the need to hide the fact.

“Well here we are, my bedroom,” Kurt announced.

Blaine didn't bother to have a good look around. How could he when Kurt’s mouth was far too addictive to abandon? Though when Kurt pulled back so their lips were no longer touching, he finally caught on that Kurt expected to at least make some comment (throw away or otherwise). Considering how hard up Blaine was, he wasn't about to try his luck and ignore the signal. He took a quick look around, not even registering anything in the room before setting his eyes and hands back on Kurt. He locked his arms tight around Kurt's waist and pulled in him for the kill, or kiss rather. “So this is where the magic happens huh?” he said when he finally ended the kiss.

“Actually... I spend more time in here watching Dynasty then having dalliances with cute guys,” Kurt admitted with a chuckle.

There was no helping it, Blaine found Kurt in all his humour and sex appeal too hard to resist anymore. He loved how Kurt had actually used the word dalliances and his cute little grin was too adorable for words. Blaine had to have him, even if it was just for the night. “That's not surprising...” Blaine began, only when he saw Kurt's smile drop he suddenly realized what that sounded like. “Wait no, Kurt, sorry! I mean... considering how much you work, like at the club, it's understandable! I barely have any time to look after my own personal needs half the time!” Blaine blurted out.

Kurt, who was in a very agreeably loose mood, instantly relaxed and shook his head with affectionate amusement at Blaine's flustered state. “It's alright, no harm done,” he assured.

Past occurrences still made Blaine feel unsure if Kurt really meant it, so he tried to think of a way to reconcile just to be sure. First Blaine kissed the side of Kurt's mouth softly and then he beamed at him until his sex partner broke into quiet chuckles. Now with the both of them grinning from ear to ear, Blaine pushed up against Kurt's body once more. “How about I go down on you? To say I'm sorry?” he offered.

Kurt tensed; his cock was sure all for it but then there was the matter of safety. Kurt trusted Blaine sincerity and he was sure he knew how to give good head. But normally whenever Kurt did oral sex with someone new, he always insisted on using protection. Anal sex might be the highest risk when it came to STDs but it wasn't the only one. The trouble was, getting men to use condoms for oral wasn't easy and he didn't know Blaine very well, or at all really and his sexual history was completely unknown.

Blaine might have been semi-drunk but he was still aware enough to notice Kurt's anxious state and worry that he was having second thoughts. “Are you not into that?” Blaine asked.

Kurt felt so helpless, but then, he was clean and he was confident Blaine had no cuts inside of his mouth from how deep they'd made out. “No... sorry... I'd like that,” he quickly stammered back.

Blaine eyed him reluctantly. “You sure? Because your tense body language is sure sending me a different signal...”

“I'm fine, sorry, I'm good. Have at it, please,” Kurt urged.

It took Kurt kissing Blaine with such thrilling passion for him to be thoroughly convinced before he was willing to continue. Confident that Kurt's reaction wasn't anything to fret over, he dived into setting the right mood between them. Blaine was actually quite proud of the fact that he'd overcome his gag reflex to make blow jobs possible. That now meant Blaine was full of saucy confidence as he slid down to rest on his knees in front of Kurt's standing figure. First Blaine pulled Kurt's pants and underwear down far enough so they wouldn't obstruct the job and then he brought his hand to touch Kurt's length. Kurt was so sensitive to Blaine's touch that it wasn't long before his boner was back. 

As soon as Blaine's mouth was on his cock, any lingering regret that Kurt had made the wrong choice was abruptly thrown out the window. Instead he just fully gave into the sensation, holding his sharp tongue and moaned when the inspiration, and the pleasure Blaine caused in him, struck him.

Blaine was none the wiser and fully threw himself into the task, starting out by running his tongue along the side of Kurt's shaft. He took the tip of Kurt's cock into his mouth, switching between sucking and running his tongue over the head. Then, he pushed forward with his head, allowing Kurt's cock to slide down his throat.

“Fuck!” Kurt moaned.

Blaine kept going, though on the inside he was quite proud of his efforts so far and bobbed his head up and down as he worked up a good rhythm. 

Kurt struggled to remain still and he couldn't stop himself from running his hands through Blaine's curly hair. His fingers lightly grasped Blaine's scalp as he got swept up in the pleasure, still moaning lightly as Blaine inched him towards release. “I'm so close,” he breathed.

Good thing too because Blaine's jaw was starting to feel a little overworked, though he had no intentions to stop before Kurt came. So he kept at it, fully in the zone and focused on making Kurt feel good. Then, finally, Kurt's body tensed and right before the moment happened, Blaine pulled his head back and let his hand take over for the final stretch.

Kurt let out a giddy laugh; he felt more relaxed but still quite silly. “Nicely done,” he congratulated.

Blaine snickered, “Way to praise.”

Kurt's hands guided Blaine's body to rise back up and as soon as he was standing Kurt started to kiss him aggressively. But in his haste to get to the next part he'd forgotten how his pants were still around his ankles, causing him to stumbled forward, catching Blaine equally off guard and the result sent them both flying backwards onto the bed. Fortunately they missed the floor and merely laughed at their clumsy tumble.

“Where the fuck did you usual natural grace go?” Blaine teased as he started to undo his belt buckle.

Kurt rolled his eyes, batting away Blaine's hands as he took over the task of removing Blaine's pants himself. “Same place my inhibitions went whenever I drink, wherever that is,” Kurt said snarkily.

For once Blaine could tell when Kurt was just teasing him so he didn't take offence. Instead he chose to get even. As soon as they were both fully naked Blaine flashed Kurt a mischievous grin and pounced on him. He decorated Kurt's chest and stomach with little butterfly kisses, until Kurt got impatient with the tender display and gently nipped his shoulder. Blaine bucked his hips forward, rubbing their cocks together as Kurt went back to Blaine's lips.

“Your face tastes awesome,” Blaine suddenly declared.

Kurt snorted, “You're ridiculous.”

“Mmm, I think you meant to say delicious.”

“Did I? Well, that is certainly true...” Kurt said flirtatiously, pausing so he could share a few more kisses. “... when it comes to your well-shaped behind,” Kurt growled as he gave Blaine's ass cheeks a tight squeeze.

Blaine blinked. “Does that mean you want to...” he began, choosing to wiggle his eyebrows provocatively at Kurt.

“Tap it?” Kurt offered.

“Exactly, you can, you know... I think we're more than ready for that,” Blaine alluded as he brought his hand down to their erections.

Now came the time where Kurt would really need to bring up the subject of using protection and he hoped Blaine would be open-minded about the idea.

Blaine was growing concerned that he'd made a bad call somewhere. “Unless you want to be the bottom. Like I said, I really don't have a preference. I like it both ways. So as long as we get to do both, who starts off doing what hardly matters to me,” Blaine quickly said.

Kurt saw a chance he could use to his advantage how and could kill two birds with one stone. “I actually have a fun way we could decide,” he said.

Blaine cocked his head to the side in puzzlement as he watched Kurt get up from the bed and head over to his dresser. None of the other times he'd had sex, whether it was with a boyfriend or a one night stand, had ever been like this. There was no pressure, no fear of not adding up or going the distance when it came to pleasing his partner. If Blaine could only use one word to describe what going to bed with Kurt Hummel was like so far then he'd have to go with 'fun'. Who would have thought?

“What, are we gonna flip a coin?” Blaine asked with a laugh.

Kurt turned back around. “Funny you should mention that,” he said, holding up a small square package.

As Kurt returned to the bed and held the item in front of his face, Blaine saw it was a condom and he smirked. Blaine wasn't against using protection, though at the same time there were instances where he hadn't bothered with it. It felt better without, in Blaine's honest opinion, but condoms had their uses -- less mess when it came to clean up, for one thing. Blaine took the condom from Kurt and laughed at when he noticed that written, or rather drawn on each side of the package was something in black pen. “Is this...”

“It's a game I created, a way for fellow versatiles like us to make the task of choosing who tops or bottoms during sex a bit more fun. This is heads...” Kurt said, pointing to the side with a crude drawing of an erect cock. “... while this is obviously tails...” Kurt added, pointing to the cartoon drawing of a naked ass. “One of us flips the condom and whichever is face up... well, you get the idea,” Kurt explained.

It was certainly a creative way to decide and Blaine found it rather clever. He nodded, holding the condom between his fingers. “I have another good idea, let's make the odds even more fair. Heads you top, tails you bottom and really it's win-win because it's not like either result is in anyway a loss,” Blaine suggested.

Kurt laughed, grabbing the sides of Blaine's face to kiss him. “I like the way you think, Blaine,” he said seductively.

“Oh wait, what about lube?” Blaine asked because even he knew enough to ask about that.

Luckily for Blaine, Kurt was always prepared when it came to sex and he proved it by bringing out a tube of lubricant from behind him on the bed. “Got that covered too, so there's nothing left but to flip and fuck.”

Blaine couldn't help it, the silly comebacks kept popping up in his head and he couldn't hold it back. “Do you mean I flip you down on the bed or the condom?” he joked.

“Let's start with the condom and see what else could happen,” Kurt responded.

Blaine nodded. He held up the condom and once Kurt gave a silent nod that he was ready Blaine flipped it up in the air.

Blaine caught the condom and placed it palm down on the back of his other hand. When he removed it they both saw the two round half circles drawn there and their first response was to (surprise surprise) break out giggling.

“Looks like you're the fucker then,” Kurt announced.

“You just wanted to call me that!” Blaine accused, though he was far from angry.

“I'm just stating a fact. Up to the task?” Kurt egged on.

Hearing Kurt's saucy tone was all of the encouragement Blaine needed and he was ready to move on to the next step. The first order of business was to ensure Blaine's cock was hard enough to 'take the plunge' and show Kurt he knew a thing or two when it came to gay sex. He didn't care if Kurt had a reputation of being one of – if not the – best lovers at the club either. If Blaine were to stop and think about that, or any of the other rumours about him, then Blaine wouldn't able to focus. 

“You bet your sweet bottom!” Blaine nearly cheered.

That was the last time Blaine would bother with playful banter, because he only wanted one thing: Kurt's Hummel's ass. To do just that, Blaine launched himself at Kurt, pushing him down on the bed. He kissed his mouth as he ran his hands down the sides of Kurt's body gently, his touch so light it caused him to shiver. Blaine's mouth slowly gravitated from Kurt's lips to trail down his neck, sucking and kissing as he went. Kurt's skin felt so soft under Blaine's fingertips and the bruises he had seen when they first met were barely visible. 

“Blaine,” Kurt breathed when Blaine started to suck on his nipple.

Somehow Blaine was managing to take his time with the art of foreplay, which, considering how hard he was, was quite impressive. As much as Kurt wanted to experience intimacy when it came to sex, he didn't think he could last much longer at this rate.

“I like the way you say my name, Kurt...” Blaine whispered.

“Oh god, please get on with it and fuck me!” Kurt gasped when Blaine finally touched his cock.

Seeing as how Blaine was hardly managing to pull a bluff, he was fine to comply. He clumsily tore open the condom package and rolled it onto his ready cock. Right when he was about to consider what position to take Kurt in, Kurt beat Blaine to it.

Kurt pulled himself upright and advanced on Blaine, who just went along with it. Blaine soon had his back pressed up against the headboard, and Kurt climbed onto of him, giving Blaine the perfect view of his back. 

“Holy shit!” Blaine blurted out. He was unprepared for the sudden tightness surrounding him.

“Feeling good there Blaine?” Kurt teased.

“Oh you're so full of yourself!” Blaine said.

“Technically speaking it's you I'm full of right now,” Kurt quipped. 

Kurt settled himself fully down on Blaine, and he was ready to let their chatter stop for a good long while. He bent his knees to get the right footing so he could balance himself properly since he didn't plan to remain still for long. Kurt arched his back up and pushed off of the bed only to slam back down again. Blaine chose to help Kurt along by clamping his hands onto Kurt's hips and snapping his own hips upwards to meet Kurt's thrusts.

It was a good thing that they'd bothered to finally give into their physical desire and kiss back at the restaurant when they did, or else if Blaine -- or even Kurt -- had drank more than two and a half shots of vodka then they wouldn't be so coordinated right now and it was still a bit of a stretch. The alcohol did, however, make them put the past behind them, so they could hopefully have some mind-blowing sex.

Blaine watched Kurt's back muscles tense and his biceps flex as he rode Blaine's cock. He found it oddly beautiful and obviously sensual both at the same time. Here was a part of Kurt that Blaine had never thought he'd see and certainly not at such a close proximity.

“Oh yeah, this is it,” Blaine groaned.

“You like that?” Kurt asked, though he already knew the answer.

“Mm, you're so fucking tight, Kurt.”

“Say that again,” Kurt urged.

“What, that you're tight?” Blaine asked.

Kurt shook his head, biting the bottom of his lip when Blaine rammed into his ass again. “No, my name.” 

If Blaine weren't so focused on how good it felt to be inside Kurt, then he might have thought about how Kurt's first name was something he hadn't known until that night. But at the moment ignorance was truly bliss and Blaine had one thing on his mind: pleasure. Or two things, rather, because Blaine always wanted his sexual partners to enjoy themselves as much as he did. “Kurt, I want to see your face...” he urged.

Kurt shrugged. “Fine, I didn't pick this position because I'm against sharing eye contract during sex. I just like how good it feels,” he stated, though his little speech was cut short when Blaine took hold of his torso and actually flipped him over on the bed. A giggle escaped his mouth as Blaine took no time in entering him once more, something he was glad for as well. Now face to face, Kurt and Blaine could kiss each other once more. But not for long as Blaine picked up the pace and started to pound into Kurt with sharp thrusts. 

“Oh god!” Kurt moaned.

It turned out Blaine wasn't so far off from Kurt's level of skill despite him not having as much chance to practice his game. But they weren't trying to earn a gold medal in gay sex; all they wanted to do was come. To achieve that goal Blaine didn't try any creative moves, keeping with an oldie but a goodie as he fucked Kurt into the mattress missionary style.

Blaine threw his head back as Kurt folded up his knees to allow even deeper penetration. Sex never felt this good for him! It wasn't like Kurt was doing anything special to account for how incredible it felt, so it didn't make any sense. “Kurt, fuck... are you? Cause I'm about to come cause you're too damn tight!” Blaine wheezed.

Kurt's hands gripped onto his thousand count thread sheets as he felt the familiar sensation building up in his body. “Nearly there, fuck, don't stop!” Kurt cried out.

The pressure building within Blaine was too much to take and he firmly planted his hands at Kurt’s sides as he thrust into him, resulting in the most intense orgasm he had ever experienced. “Shit, Kurt!” he shouted.

Much to Kurt's relief, Blaine managed to keep up the pace until he came as well, and clung to Blaine as his whole body shuddered from the act. Mind reeling, Kurt needed a moment to recover from the rush. It had been good, more than good, fucking amazing actually.

Now spent, Blaine rolled off of Kurt and came to lie beside him on the bed with a matching expression of surprised delight on his face. “Wow, that was really, really good!” he exclaimed.

Kurt pried an eye open to glance over to his left at Blaine. “You seem so surprised,” he said.

“I was! I mean, I always had a feeling you were good in bed... but to actually find out for real is a total eye-opener,” Blaine started to ramble.

“Because it confirms I've had a butt-load of sex or something?” Kurt demanded.

Blaine broke out laughing and was forced to watch as Kurt scowled at him in annoyance. “Sorry, but you said butt-load, not boat-load, so cut me some slack! How could I not laugh at that!” he pleaded, still barely able to control his snickering. “You've had a lot of sexual partners and encounters over the years, so what? I bet a lot of guys who go to the club have,” Blaine said. 

Kurt knew that Blaine was trying his best, but he was still doing a pretty bad job as far as Kurt was concerned. Only this time he fought the urge to let his temper out because he didn't want to become the bad guy in this, of all things. “I know... but thanks for saying it. It also hardly matters if you haven't had much chance to get out there a well,” he stated.

The comment almost hurt, so it was a good thing that Blaine was still in a cheery post 'I just had amazing sex' mood. “That's hardly my fault. I mean I came out right before I went off to college. Where I swiftly lost my virginity, but most guys just wanted to sneak around and that wasn't my style. Then I gave actual dating a try and up until four months ago, I was in a serious relationship that lasted over two years.”

“What happened there, then?”

“He cheated on me.”

“Well, that I can honestly say is something I have never done.”

“Me either.”

Kurt sat up on the bed and leaned over to give Blaine a long kiss. But just as Blaine’s hands went for him he pulled back out of reach and got up off the bed.

“Hey what gives, I thought you said the sex was good?” Blaine pouted.

“It was... but I find myself not nearly drunk enough to continue. I like not being annoyed with you… and I need to keep that feeling going. Because I’m sure not done with you, Blaine,” Kurt said as he hurried off out of the bedroom to select a bottle of wine.

Blaine did his best to patiently wait for Kurt's return, he knew the feeling since even now Kurt's whole manner of speaking made him slightly annoyed. But, as it turned out, there was a lot Blaine was willing to put up with when Kurt was an animal in bed. “Hurry it up okay!”

“I'm coming!” Kurt grumbled as he stepped back into the room with a bottle of champagne and two red plastic cups.

“Wow, so classy,” Blaine teased as he took the cup Kurt offered him.

“Well it sure beats cleaning up after broken glass,” Kurt dished back.

After Kurt finished pouring them each a generous glass, Blaine, feeling extra cheeky, raised his drink in front of them both. “Maybe I propose a toast?” he chimed and when Kurt lifted his own glass he went on. “To burying the hatchet,” he declared.

Kurt clinked his cup with Blaine's even though they weren't made of glass, and they both downed the champagne without further ado or with any regard for manners. “Among other things,” he added with a smirk.

“Sounds good to me!” Blaine agreed. He was more than ready to start round two.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

By the time Blaine was finally able to open up his heavy eyelids, it was to the discovery that his fatigue wasn't the only thing weighing him down, even if at first he felt too groggy and hungover to really understand what it meant. “Where am I?” he mumbled tiredly.

At the sound of Blaine's voice, a figure stirred from close behind him on the bed. “Would you believe... in bed with Kurt Hummel?” a weak voice croaked back.

More awake, Blaine realized that it must be Kurt's arm clamped tightly around his waist. Blaine forced himself to turn around, though it felt like it took all the strength left in him to accomplish the feat. But there was no denying it, no matter how much Blaine's head was pounding; his bedmate was none other than the co-manager of Dare to Flare and, until last night, his sworn enemy. “Oh yeah... we got set up on a blind date...” Blaine muttered at the discovery.

Kurt let out a pained groan, “Fuck, I'm so hung over... How much did we even drink last night?”

Blaine tried and failed to sit up and bed, falling back to the mattress with a bounce. Aside from the usual symptoms that came along with waking up with a killer hangover, there were other things he noted at well. “Forget about how much we drank… How about all the sex we had?” he countered.

Kurt was more used to that particular type of soreness and so he managed to sit upright. His memory from the night prior was patchy at best but he already knew the answer. “A lot, on both accounts,” Kurt announced.

That sounded about right to Blaine, who also felt equally worn out from their nighttime activities, whatever that had entailed. “It happens to the best of us...” he replied, not really having any point to make.

“Do you remember anything?” Kurt questioned.

“Um, not much…” Blaine admitted, “Except that it sure was fun.”

If Blaine was willing to admit to that, then Kurt wasn't about to deny it either. He might not remember most of the night, but he remembered enjoying it. “It was, wasn't it? Who knew that drunken sex spawned from anger could be that funny,” Kurt said.

“Are you saying my sexual techniques were something to laugh at?” Blaine accused, letting the sarcasm tinge his voice as he elbowed Kurt lightly.

Kurt brought his hand down to pinch Blaine's buttock lightly. “From what I can recall, you did amazingly well,” he assured.

Blaine smiled at what had to be the first sincere compliment Kurt had ever given him. “Well I sure remember laughing a ton, and not at your expense, before you ask.”

“Good to know,” Kurt sassed as he leaned over to give Blaine a quick peck on the lips.

Blaine remained lying there as he stared up at the ceiling. If he were to look Kurt's way, even in his dishevelled state, he knew just the sight of him could get his motor running. Maybe. He was pretty sore and woefully hungover so getting it up right now, tragically, might not be a possibility. “Um... should I go?” Blaine offered.

The question brought Kurt's attention away from his thoughts and back to the naked man at his side. “Do you want to go that badly?” he asked.

Blaine instantly regretted asking and hearing the hurt in Kurt’s voice reminded him how very little they knew about one another. “No, I just wasn't sure if you'd want me to stay,” he quickly explained.

Kurt let out a tired sigh. It was true that he normally didn't like his sex partners (new ones anyway) to stick around. Even his regular hook-ups rarely stayed the night, so mornings like this never really happened. “You can stick around, at least until we've both recovered a bit more,” he said.

“Thanks,” Blaine simply replied, fine to leave it at that.

Kurt was happy to lie on the bed and recuperate for a while, but Blaine couldn’t keep quiet for long.

“How many times do you think we did it?” Blaine asked absentmindedly.

Kurt snickered, “I have no idea. But we can count the used condoms later to find out for sure.”

Such a task would have to wait and just when Kurt thought he could manage to make them a pot of coffee, a different urge moved him forward, right off the bed and racing toward his bathroom and where he barely made it to the toilet before vomiting.

Never in his wildest dreams would Blaine ever think he'd find himself listening to Hard-Ball-Hummel barf. Hummel. Right, since the second Blaine had learned his first name was Kurt, Blaine felt like he'd met a different person. But Hummel and Kurt were the one and the same and that wasn't something he should forget.

Now up on his feet with his stomach empty, Kurt made no to attempts to regain his composure as he stood up and flushed. “Well, that sure wasn't fun,” he said with a moan.

Blaine knew the feeling; the act of laughing thanks to Kurt's dry wit proved too dangerous. He was up with a start and shoved past Kurt to start his own upheaval.

Such was the cost for not knowing when to quit drinking and there was no use in complaining about it. Kurt left Blaine to it, finding no urge to hold his head up or offer any sort of moral support. Instead, he chose to head into the kitchen and make them a pot of coffee; a far better alternative in his mind. He didn't bother to get dressed because there wasn't a modest bone left in his body. Besides, he wanted to shower before putting any clothing on.

Blaine appeared right when Kurt was putting the finishing touches on his own mug and he took a deep breath of the delicious smell. “Is that coffee I detect?” he asked hopefully.

Kurt smirked. “The very best,” he confirmed and handed Blaine his own mug.

Just the pick-me-up Blaine needed, but when he took a long drink and ended up sputtering off in choking coughs.

“Take it easy there Blaine; what's your rush?” Kurt remarked.

Hearing Kurt call him by his first name still felt so weird, but even that couldn’t override just how nice it sounded rolling off his tongue. “I'm okay... I just took a bit more than I could handle,” Blaine wheezed, which for some reason caused Kurt to laugh. “What?”

Kurt tried to act like he was innocent but his snickering wasn't fooling anyone. “I think something similar happened last night but it wasn't coffee you nearly choked on,” he explained.

Blaine rolled his eyes at the little taunt. “I survived,” he scoffed as he took a more controlled drink this time. “I'm just glad I don't have to work at the diner today...” he muttered.

In anticipation for his arranged date, Kurt had also booked the morning off and was now equally relieved. Not that he'd expected to go so far last night, but Kurt had learned long ago it was best to prepare for the unknown. But no amount of anticipation could have helped Kurt predict that his blind date would turn out to be Oates. Or that they would put their differences aside and manage to have a fun night. Kurt's memory was still hazy but he would have remembered more if the sex had been disappointing. He also doubted his ass and jaw would be so sore for that matter.

“Any idea where our clothes are?” Blaine finally asked when his mug was nearly empty.

Kurt shook his head. “No clue. Do you have a problem with standing in my kitchen going au naturel? I don't have any roommates if that's what you're worried about,” Kurt assured.

Blaine already knew from club gossip that Kurt lived alone, but the confirmation was reassuring. “Considering what we got up to last night. No, I don't mind that we're still undressed,” Blaine said.

That Blaine didn’t look the least bit intimidated convinced Kurt that he was telling the truth. Luckily the heating in his apartment was blissfully warm as well so there was no chill in the air to add any real discomfort. “As soon as my cup’s done we can go hunting,” Kurt told him. He'd wanted to start the cleanup process next anyway.

As soon as the caffeine kicked in Kurt continued his host responsibilities by supplying enough painkillers to dull the aftermath of their sexual adventures. Now feeling somewhat better, both men got down to business that was tragically lacking in sex-related activities, as they were both too sore, hung over and, above all, in no mood to try their luck.

Since sex was out of the question, Blaine focused on collecting their discarded clothes, following the trail from the living room right to the foot of Kurt's bed. Kurt was there as well but Blaine was fine to leave him to his own devices. Blaine could still barely wrap his head around what had happened, starting right with how he still didn't know what exactly had gone down when they'd made it to the bedroom. He remembered a kiss which had led to them swiftly rushing off to Kurt's place and right into bed. That's where the laughter came in and what he gathered was a satisfying night all things considered, full of pleasure, amusement and drunken festivities. Really, Blaine was just relieved that Kurt hadn't freaked out when they'd woken up in bed together because the person Blaine had pegged Kurt for originally would have surely blown up and kicked his sore ass to the curb.

Unbeknownst to Blaine, the reason why Kurt hadn't taken his usual dramatic route was because he'd been too tired to give that much effort. In all honesty, Kurt was growing tired of his childish feud with Oates and now that he'd gotten a hint of the real Blaine, his aversion was lessening. Kurt still had no idea what would happen next but he didn't want to think about the possibilities right now. So he chose to focus on cleaning up and deal with the rest later on. Sure enough it didn't take long for Kurt to find the first used condom in his fancy white waste basket. “Well... we were sober enough to throw one condom in the trash bin...” Kurt began as he searched for the rest. “But after that we must have gotten sloppy,” he added.

Blaine turned to look Kurt's way and chuckled, “That must have been before you brought out the champagne,” he deduced.

Kurt nodded in agreement. “If my memory serves, you topped for that,” he said as he scanned the floor nearby for any discarded condoms.

“Oh yeah right, we played that game of yours where we flipped a condom to decide. Though really I came out just as much of a winner as you. But you should totally patent that,” Blaine joked.

Kurt laughed at Blaine's attempt at humour but as he continued his search and was finding nothing so far, things stopped being so funny. Kurt dropped to the floor on his hands and knees as he looked around for used condoms. When he couldn't find any on the visible floor, Kurt bent under his bed and crawled half underneath it.

Blaine cocked his head to the side curiously as he watched Kurt's naked behind bob up and down with his efforts. “What are you doing?”

Kurt's casual demeanour was changing to panic at an alarming rate. “I can't find any!” Kurt shouted in desperation. 

“Find what?” Blaine asked, confused.

But Kurt ignored Blaine's question. Where were the rest of the condoms? It didn't take a genius to know they'd done anal a number of times, but so far Kurt had only found one in the trash and there were no signs of any others. He did find plenty of used tissues, but that only made Kurt more alarmed at what it could mean. Just when Kurt was about to lose all hope he found some but not in the condition he’d wanted.

Blaine was about to ask Kurt what was going on again when he came out from under the bed and whirled up to face him. Why did he look so worried? Scared even? “What? What's wrong?” Blaine asked in confusion.

In Kurt's outstretched hand was a full roll of condoms, all of which were unbroken and there were no signs that any attempts to open one had been made. “This isn't possible. Not for me...” Kurt stammered in shock. “There's no way...”

Nothing Kurt was saying made any sense to Blaine and as if that weren't frustrating enough, Kurt made no attempts to explain his panic, instead going back to his frantic search and making Blaine even more baffled by the scene before him. “Why are you so freaked out?”

“I can't find any more used condoms! Where the fuck are they?” Kurt hissed before darting off to the living room.

The answer didn't add up to Blaine and he still had no idea why Kurt was acting so strange. “So? For all we know we could have flushed them or something.”

“I doubt it,” Kurt rejected.

“Well maybe we pulled out and took the condoms off before coming?” Blaine offered next.

But Kurt wasn't buying that explanation either, because there still would have been opened condoms lying around if that were the case. “Why are you making up excuses?” he grumbled.

“I'm just trying to come up with a reason, without acting crazy,” Blaine pointed out.

Nothing Blaine was telling him made Kurt want to calm down, not when he'd found the worst clue yet. “Oh yeah?” Kurt muttered in annoyance as he came over to Blaine and placed a box in his hand for the young man to inspect. “Try to explain this to me while remaining calm,” he challenged.

Blaine frowned and looked inside the object now in his hand, it was an almost full box of condoms. Why would something like this make him freak out? He got what that meant and yet he didn't join Kurt in his moment of panic. “Okay, I guess we didn't use anymore condoms then. So?” he said.

Kurt could hardly believe what he was hearing. He knew some gay men thought they were impervious but he’d hardly pegged Blaine as one of them. Here was yet another misconception he'd made since they'd first met. “So? So?! Oh my god, Blaine, why aren't you getting why this is huge deal? I never have unprotected sex!” Kurt shouted, not commenting on the fact that, before meeting Adam, Kurt had gone there, many times, and he'd vowed to never do it again, no matter what.

Naive to the reality of their situation, Blaine couldn't understand why Kurt's reaction was so extreme. It wasn't like either of them could get pregnant, so what was the deal? Aside from having an easier clean up, using protection was optional.

“Well I think it's pretty clear you did last night. Because my ass is super sore and we both know you're the reason for that,” Blaine announced.

“There is no way I could be that stupid,” Kurt argued.

Was Kurt intentionally implying that Blaine was the one to blame? That if they'd had unprotected sex it was all his fault? “Unless you were drunk enough to be that stupid,” Blaine declared as he picked up the empty bottle of champagne off the floor and waved it at Kurt. “And we know who's to blame for that happening,” he dared to add.

There was no use denying the evidence and Kurt wasn't handling the reality of the situation appropriately. “How were we so careless?” Kurt asked in disbelief.

“I don't see what the big deal is. So we fucked bareback.” He shrugged. “It looks like we cleaned up after it just fine.”

Kurt was too angry to ask for the real reason why Blaine was acting so calm, or to even think about it himself. He was too busy frantically pacing back and forth as he attempted to keep his temper in check but he was failing miserably. What Kurt needed right now was to learn more about Blaine's sexual history.

“Have you have unprotected sex before tonight?” Kurt asked suddenly.

Blaine blinked in surprise. “Yes. I have,” he answered straight away. 'Like most gay men,' Blaine thought to himself begrudgingly.

This wasn't happening. Kurt was always so safe when it came to sex and no amount of alcohol had made him forget about protection before. The only variable was Blaine and while deep down Kurt knew it wasn't intentional, it still was hard not to erupt at him. “Please tell me it wasn't recent or that you've gotten tested since then!” Kurt demanded.

Blaine’s willingness to reply stopped as soon as he realized what Kurt was getting at. “Wait, you think I've given you and STD, don't you?”

Kurt waved away the accusation. “Just answer the question!”

There was no use in arguing; not with how quickly Kurt's anger was escalating. “Like I said, I've had unprotected sex before. The most recent of which was with Angelo a few days ago. But you should know how some guys refuse to use condoms,” Blaine started to explain.

“That's when you tell them no!” Kurt hissed.

“Except I really wanted to have sex,” Blaine stated without a hint of shame.

“What about the tests?”

Again, Blaine couldn't see why Kurt thought STD screening was so necessary. “I've never gotten tested before because I've always been healthy. No symptoms have ever shown up either, so I know I'm clean,” Blaine admitted.

Shocked into disbelief and barely able to control his volatile aversion to everything Blaine was telling him, Kurt was aghast. “Well I hope the sex was worth it because now you've put us both in danger,” Kurt snapped.

Blaine didn't like Kurt's tone, or how he kept acting like everything was his fault. “Don't you dare blame me for all this! It's not like I forced you to stop using protection! If you'd asked me to wear one I would have and I did the first time! So if we both got too drunk then fucking bareback is hardly my fault alone!” Blaine barked back.

“Don't you try to get off on a technicality here! I'm not the one who's recently had unprotected sex!”

“Hah! It's not like condoms are foolproof though! They can break!”

“That still doesn't make up for your careless actions!”

“Do I look sick to you?”

Kurt couldn't take it anymore; it was time for him to give Blaine a long overdue reality check. “It can take weeks, months even before any symptoms can occur! People can carry an STD without knowing it and spread it to their sexual partners! The whole reason the risk is so high among gay men is because safe sex hasn't caught on yet! Haven't you heard of a thing called AIDS?”

Of course Blaine had heard about the recently diagnosed disease that had been instantly linked to the gay community, but he’d always thought it was something the closed-minded had blown out of proportion, using fear to exploit the gullible and pass AIDS off as a divine punishment for homosexual sin sent from the hands of God himself. “I didn't give you AIDS, Kurt!”

Oh how Kurt wanted to believe him, because contrary to what Blaine may think, he wasn't enjoying himself. But Kurt knew better than anyone that the dangers were too grave to ignore. “You can't say that for sure, Blaine, not unless we both get tested. Right away!”

While Kurt was right, Blaine felt very offended at how he was basically saying that he alone had inadvertently put them at risk while the great Kurt Hummel was too sensible to ever have unprotected sex. When Kurt took a step towards him, Blaine threw his hands up in surrender. “Alright! Alright! I'll get tested. Not because I think I've put us in any danger but since it's the responsible thing to do,” he promised.

Kurt believed his sincerity. It didn't make him feel relieved, but he was finally able to realize he'd gone about his reaction the wrong way. Because Blaine had a point; forgetting to use protection was as much his fault as Blaine's. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Kurt's act of maturity, although hardly commendable, brought back Blaine's usual politeness. Deep down he was still confused, offended and a little hurt at Kurt's harsh treatment but he pushed it aside (for now). “I get it, you're scared,” he offered.

He didn't though, not really. Because Blaine had no idea why Kurt was afraid and the man in question had no intention of telling him his reasons. There was no time for that. Kurt wanted Blaine out of the apartment and gone so he could head off to make an appointment at his doctor's office. Now feeling more exposed, Kurt let out a long shuddering sigh as he took the navy house coat hung on his bedroom door and wrapped it around himself.

When it was clear Kurt wasn't going to say anything in reply, Blaine went over to the bed to slip on his rumpled pants. Blaine got the feeling that he'd more than worn out his welcome by this point but he felt compelled to stay. If he were to run out now, when Kurt was so vulnerable, then he feared what would happen the next time they crossed paths. Experiencing the walk of shame when the morning had gone so horribly wrong didn't sound very fun to him. “Is there anything else I can do?” Blaine offered.

Kurt shook his head. “No, you should go...” he replied, in an attempt to avoid showing weakness.

Blaine's eyes widened. “You're kicking me out?” he asked in shock.

The request hadn't sounded even remotely cold to Kurt, so why was Blaine acting so offended? “I'm asking you to leave... for both our sakes. If I wanted you gone, you'd be out on the street by now,” Kurt snapped.

But Blaine wasn’t willing to leave it at that so easily. “So that's it then? We didn't use protection and suddenly I'm not welcome here? I know we messed up, but you don't need be so harsh,” Blaine said.

“You think I'm being harsh? Oh, that is rich. You have no idea what I'm capable of,” Kurt said with a mocking laugh.

This was hardly a laughing matter and Blaine found Kurt's nerve very antagonizing. “I think you're glad this happened. Because it gives you a reason to keep hating me!” Blaine accused.

Kurt was so very finished with dealing with Blaine and his lip. “I asked you nicely... Don't push me, Blaine,” he warned with clenched teeth.

“I'm not trying to provoke you; I just don't think we should leave it like this,” Blaine countered.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “And what do you mean by 'it' exactly? We had sex, Blaine; end of story,” Kurt said, doing windmills with his arms to emphasis.

“What happened to you saying that you're a romantic at heart? I thought you were sick of just having a string of casual fucks? Now suddenly you're trying to minimize what happened between us. My, how you've changed your tune,” Blaine said bitterly.

“Can't you see how fucking stupid it is to keep arguing like this? It's time we face the possible consequences. So sorry if you think I'm acting like us having sex meant nothing... Oh wait, I'm really not,” Kurt said.

Blaine had hoped if they got nothing else from their racy night of fun, they'd at least be on better terms from now on. He wasn't a bad person; he was just a human being who was bound to make foolish mistakes. At the start, Blaine thought perhaps Kurt could come to understand this, but now, such an outcome was unlikely, if not downright impossible. “Fine!” Blaine grumbled as he gathered up his remaining clothes and stormed off toward the door. “I can take a hint!”

Kurt held his ground and made no attempts to apologize or justify his actions.

Blaine stopped at the door and turned to Kurt so he could give the last word. “Thanks for nothing!”

Kurt grabbed onto Blaine's arm to stop him from leaving. “You need to look at the bigger picture. Our health is at stake... So we need to grow up and get tested,” he urged. 

Blaine yanked his arm out of Kurt's hold, still very upset. “You have my word, not that it means much to you,” he said bitterly.

His limit reached, Kurt let Blaine go without another word and the door slammed shut behind him, echoing loudly in the sudden quiet of the apartment. Now alone, Kurt fell to the floor on his knees and hugged himself. Crying out his pain in muffled sobs, he shook as he finally broke down. He didn't want his life to end, not when there was so much to live for. So much he hadn't done. “All I wanted was to make it to the ‘90s. Was that so fucking much to ask for?”  
_______________________________________________________________________________

As it turned out; there was quite a lot Blaine hadn’t known when it came to AIDS, starting right with how he would actually need to be tested for HIV. But even then the wait for the results would take longer than Blaine had expected. According to his doctor it could take up to three weeks to know for sure. Twenty-one days too long as far as Blaine was concerned. But that was the least of his concerns right now and when it came to many of his problems, Blaine had no idea what to do. Missing work was out of the question though, and so after coming back from the hospital he'd gone off to rehearsals at the club, fully expecting to see no signs of Kurt. Normally, Blaine would have no problem with keeping distance from the frustrating man, but not this time.

The problem was that Kurt Hummel was a hard man to locate when he didn't want to be found. He was always one step ahead of the young performer and ever on the move, and Blaine wasn't about to resort to asking anyone else where to find him; he'd learned his lesson by now. His search was put on hold during the show that night but as soon as his performer mode was switched off he quickly got back on track.

He figured his best bet was not to run after Kurt but to lay in wait. Finally, Blaine's perseverance paid off as the pair came face-to-face with one another but Kurt's first instinct was to turn around and walk off, ignoring him outright.

“Oh come on!” Blaine muttered as he raced after Kurt.

But it was no use; judging by his quickened pace the co-manager of Flare was in no mood to face him.

Seeing no other alternative, Blaine resorted to playing dirty. “Kurt, stop!” he called out.

The ploy worked, maybe a little too well, as Kurt turned on his heels and walked right up and into Blaine's personal space.

“Please refrain from using my first name here! It won't do you any good, trust me,” Kurt hissed with clenched teeth.

“I didn't see how else I could get you to stop,” Blaine said.

“Come back with your test results and then we'll talk,” Kurt replied.

“That will take weeks! I can't wait that long!” Blaine exclaimed.

“Well it's not my fault if you didn't know how long the tests would take.”

“You need to stop blaming me for everything!” Blaine grunted in annoyance.

Kurt was in too fragile state of mind to deal with this right now. He was having a hard enough time just getting through the day, and he couldn’t see how explaining his reasons to the man in front of him was going to help. Kurt clung to the idea that avoiding Blaine altogether was the best way to power through. So he tried to escape him but Blaine was having none of that and countered his every move.

“Will you please just talk to me?” Blaine pleaded.

It was probably pointless but Kurt figured he at least owed Blaine enough to attempt to make him understand what was really going on before he'd be forced to use more aggressive means to get Blaine to back off and leave him alone. “Don't you get it? That's worst thing I could do right now! I am barely holding it together. I'll just lash out at you if I were to even try. We already have plenty of reasons to keep hating each other, so is there really any need for more? So please, if you have any respect for me at all, what I need you to do is just leave me be.” 

Blaine might have bought Kurt's sincerity, if not for the fact that before he'd discovered they hadn't used protection the guarded man had showed signs of finally opening up to him. Now that there was the scare of contracting something, Kurt suddenly had reverted back to his usual self, pushing Blaine away and tossing him aside like he was worthless. “What if I can't leave it alone?” Blaine asked. “Will that make me the more selfish one?”

Blaine had no way to know that Kurt's efforts to push him away and ignore their situation had nothing to do with what he felt on the inside. Kurt couldn't rely on anyone because whenever he did they were always taken from him. There was no way around it then; Kurt's warnings had gone unheeded. “Just fuck off and give me some space! Because the only way I'll get through the next few weeks is to keep myself distracted! So I'm going to act like nothing’s happened between us and it would be wise for you to do the same,” Kurt suggested.

“Ignoring everything won't make it go away,” Blaine argued.

Kurt was sick of Blaine and his meddling. He had to get away. “If I were you, I'd focus on educating yourself to the dangers you know nothing about. Because we could have avoided this if --” Kurt began.

“-- I knew it! You do blame me for us fucking bareback! You think it's my fault!” Blaine interrupted.

“Stop acting like you know what I'm thinking! You are the farthest thing from my mind right now and I plan on keeping it that way,” Kurt snapped back, trying to convince himself he wasn’t lying outright.

Blaine stepped back, signalling that he was equally done. “Go right ahead,” he said begrudgingly as he gestured for Kurt to go, which Kurt took without giving any snarky comebacks and Blaine could only stand there in disbelief as he took off.

Sam finally made his own appearance shortly after Kurt's departure, unaware of what he'd just missed. But the blond did notice how Blaine seemed upset about something and angry. “Hey, you okay?” Sam asked.

Blaine glanced at his friend, still scowling. “I'm fine...” he muttered, more to convince himself than Sam.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Work at Flare had been gruelling for Kurt, not because anything had happened but rather because of his inner turmoil. Thankfully, although Kurt wasn't proud of it, Blaine had backed off after their 'talk' that night. But even without him there to constantly remind Kurt of what he was now facing, putting his fear aside was easier said than done. Case in point, when Kurt was home at last he was so drained that he could barely muster enough energy to collapse on his couch gracelessly. Kurt remained there, lying like the living dead for well over twenty minutes but sleep wouldn't come. His mind was very active with worry and dread and he was too weak to fight it. It didn't matter if the chance that he'd contracted HIV was 50-50 at best; in Kurt's mind his life was already forfeit. Because as past track records had proven, loss was never far away.

Suddenly the phone started to ring but Kurt made no attempts to get up and answer it. That had to be Rachel, calling yet again to see how the blind date had gone. Kurt knew stalling when it came to his adoptive sister was extremely foolish but he didn't want to face her yet. When he finally did get up off off the couch, it was only to pour himself a generous glass of red wine. With glass in hand, Kurt returned to his sofa and managed to gingerly sit down this time. He let out a tired sigh; Kurt had never felt so lost before.

Try as he might, Kurt couldn't keep Blaine out of his mind. His thoughts kept coming back to their night together and what he'd possibly felt during. There was something there. A connection, and one Kurt hadn't felt before. Kurt was too fragile to face the young man to see what this feeling could lead to though. Fear had taken hold, fear for his life, and that wasn't the only thing in the way. But when it came to those thoughts, Kurt was determined to push them deep down inside himself.

Kurt's hand absentmindedly found its way to the crease in his sofa cushions and it came in contact with something odd. Frowning, Kurt put down his wine glass to investigate and fished out the unknown item. It was an undone bowtie, one that right away Kurt knew wasn't his. 'It's Blaine's,' Kurt thought. There wasn't anyone else he knew, besides himself, who would wear such a classy fashion accessory.

In Kurt's hand was a valid reason to approach Blaine, but Kurt doubted he could do it. For one thing, Kurt had made his intentions very clear. Backtracking and actually reaching out to Blaine, even to return his bowtie, would send the man very mixed signals. Giving it back could wait until their test results came back.

Kurt was used to being alone, and he had no plans to tell anyone about the test. Whenever Rachel finally horned in then he'd change the story enough to leave the forgetting protection part out. As long as Blaine kept his mouth shut, the plan could work.

It was hard for Kurt to know how Blaine was faring and if he was also hiding his fears under a far friendlier-looking smile. If anything Blaine was probably angry at Kurt and he was fine with that, if it kept him at arm’s length. It was cowardly to be sure and yet Kurt was so adamant that it was what he had to do to get by. Because what was the point in confessing anything if there was no future for him and Blaine to even discover?_______________________________________________________________________________

Getting a full night’s sleep and working out all his frustrations by washing dishes hadn't done much to help Blaine. Contrary to what he had told Sam, Blaine Anderson was far from alright. The worst of it was that Blaine was more hurt than angry about Kurt's cold treatment. He knew their blind date had hardly been magical but still, why was he trying so hard to push him away? Yes there was the whole ‘do either of us have AIDS?’ thing but Kurt was still being ridiculous. Or was he? Blaine really wasn't sure about anything when it came to Kurt, starting with his own feelings for the snarky young man. It was pretty hard to determine if his attraction to Kurt was only physical in nature when he was avoiding Blaine like the plague.

Plague. Bad choice of words. Very bad. It quickly reminded Blaine how Kurt was acting like he'd already given him AIDS.

Anger wedged its way back in by the end of his shift at the diner and Blaine wasn’t about to track Kurt down to confront him about it. He had another idea, one that was equally foolish, but Blaine wasn't in his usual state of mind at the moment. Besides, he had a good reason to go to the dance studio; he'd been invited before and there was a missed call to get back to. 

When the door to one particular dance studio sprung open, the face of the brunette woman sitting at the desk instantly brightened. “Oh Blaine! It's so good to see you!” Rachel greeted excitedly. “Kurt won't answer any of my calls! I'm dying to know how the date went!”

Little did Rachel know that Blaine's impromptu visit wasn't due to any pleasantries; he was there to vent. Blaine stormed up to the desk, looking downright infuriated as he glared at her. “Badly,” Blaine said in a loud and annoyed tone.

Rachel frowned in surprise. That was the last thing she'd expected Blaine to say. He and Kurt were such a perfect match! “What happened?” she exclaimed.

Normally Blaine would have the sense to consider that Kurt wouldn’t want Rachel to know the details of their date. But screw it, Kurt wasn't there himself and he'd done nothing to make Blaine hold himself back. Not here, and he knew Rachel wouldn't blab anything he told her. Or at least, he'd convinced himself enough in the heat of anger to go with it. “Nothing magical for one thing! I'm already acquainted with your 'amazing' brother for starters,” Blaine began.

“You are?”

“I got hired as a cover band artist at Dare to Flare a few weeks ago. So I've crossed paths with Kurt many times... none of which were the least bit pleasant! Right from the start, Hummel, he...” Blaine fumed, reverting back to using his last name. “He's gone out of his way to dislike me. Me! Someone who is super easy to get along with!” Blaine fumed.

Rachel's mind was whirling. Blaine was raving and she still had no clue why. “Hold on, if you two knew each other already...” she began.

But Blaine already knew what Rachel was getting at. “We would have known we were being set up? You would think that right? But up until our blind date, we only knew each other as Hummel and Oates,” Blaine started to explain, pausing when he caught Rachel's confused look. “It's a long story. Don't ask.”

Blaine needn't have bothered anyway, since Rachel was too focused on the current story. “I'm almost afraid to ask what happened when you met at the restaurant,” Rachel admitted.

Here was where the story took a surprising turn. “Don't be so sure. I got there first and by the time I noticed Kurt, it was already too late. Only, after the unpleasant discovery was made, he didn't bail. He sat right down at the table and started scowling me down. Like I'd fooled him somehow...” Blaine continued, still grumbling away.

Rachel might have known Kurt for well over fifteen years but she had no idea how he would react to such a scenario, which meant that, for once, she needed to keep her mouth shut and refrain from interrupting Blaine too much. “And?” she urged.

“His answer to dealing with everything was turn to drinking!” Blaine nearly shouted as he started to pace bath and forth in front of Rachel. “Who the hell drinks vodka straight!” he snapped, yelling this time in his anger.

The outburst boomed across the room, bringing attention to the pair and causing a man and a woman to hurry into the room. At the sight of them Rachel held up her hand, signalling there was no cause for alarm. “It's alright! He's a friend!” Rachel called out in assurance.

But seeing how Blaine was a very upset and raging friend, Rachel decided it was better to relocate to a more contained and private area. “Judy, could you do me a favour and take over at the front desk? Something just came up which needs my personal attention,” Rachel chimed.

Blaine, who by this point was still angry despite any embarrassment he felt, made no protest. He hadn't come to yell at Rachel. Though in all honesty, he wasn't sure what he'd come to do. Since Rachel wasn't tossing him out of the studio he merely allowed her to guide him down the hall. “Rachel, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me!” he said.

Rachel brought him to a door and, once they were both inside the small office, closed it behind and took a seat. “It's alright, Blaine. You're clearly upset about what happened with you and Kurt. So I'll offer you the opportunity to tell me and vent out your frustrations,” she told him.

Blaine let out a tired sigh. Boy did he need to get it all out. “I guess you've had a lot of practice with Kurt over the years,” he pointed out.

Rachel shook her head. “Not really. Kurt is a very private person, so he keeps most of his problems to himself,” she corrected.

“Of course he does,” Blaine muttered as he ran his hands through his hair.

The more Blaine talked, the more Rachel thought there was something bigger happening than just a blind date gone wrong. “Why don't you start from the beginning, Blaine?” she prompted.

Blaine nodded. “So, Kurt ordered a double vodka and I foolishly had the same... But at first we kept things cordial... for us anyway. We just talked, though we were hardly amused with the situation. But by the time we started on our second drinks things sort of... escalated,” Blaine explained.

When Blaine's dramatic pause started to try Rachel's patience, she couldn't take the anticipation anymore. “Did you two start fighting and get kicked out?” 

Blaine let out a mocking laugh. “Oh we got kicked out alright, but not for starting a fist fight. We kissed,” he said without warning.

Rachel's eyes widened in shock. “You did what?”

He let out a loud laugh; the situations was hardly funny but Rachel's reaction was so amusing to watch. “Yep, crazy huh? I’m still not really sure how it happened. We were taunting each other and I guess the building sexual tension was too much to ignore. So in the heat of the moment we kissed and it was far from chaste ... so we were politely asked to leave the restaurant,” Blaine explained. 

“I wouldn't worry, Blaine. As far as Kurt's concerned, he's done a lot worse...” she began to assure him.

“Oh, I'm not done and I'm not upset about the kiss. It was fucking amazing! So good that we put our feud aside and beelined it right to Kurt's apartment.”

“You two had sex?” Rachel blurted out.

“And then some!” Blaine confirmed. “The sex also isn't the reason why I'm pissed off right now. Sure we were drunk and my memory of that night is still pretty jumbled ... but I can remember how fun it was. I think after the first time we did it, Kurt opened up a bottle of champagne and apparently we managed to drink the whole thing, which is probably the cause of our memory lapse,” Blaine told her, but as he continued the story his mood began to darken and his light smile reverted back to a bitter frown.

Rachel caught the change in Blaine and she swore he almost looked hurt. “Nothing you've told me is that bad Blaine,” she said.

“I know... it's what's happened the next morning that made things go all to hell. We both woke up totally hung over but the mood was light. I mean, there was no point in getting angry with one another or at ourselves, you know? There was no need to, either. The sex had been very good by all accounts, so yeah, I had no plans to leave there in an angry huff. Kurt showed no signs of kicking me out either, and he even made coffee for the both of us,” Blaine explained as he started to pace again. “Right when I thought maybe Kurt and I had reached a breakthrough and that there could be something there... he started freaking out! And for what? Just because we didn't use any protection after the first time --” Blaine started to rant, only he didn't get very far.

Rachel shot up from her chair, gaping at Blaine in total shock. “You did what?” she shouted again.

Blaine stared at her in shocked disbelief, because her extreme reaction was exactly the same as Kurt's. “What is with everyone doing that? Why am I the only one not going off the deep end?”

Right when Rachel was about to lecture Blaine, she saw the hurt on his face and it suddenly dawned on her. “Oh my god, Blaine, you don't know, do you?” she quickly said in near horror.

Frustrated beyond his ability to control his temper, Blaine had had it up to here with Kurt and anyone related to him. “Know what?” he barked.

Rachel, who now knew how to handle over-dramatic men, chose to cut right to the case. “About Adam.”

Blaine frowned, making it clear that he didn't. “Who the fuck is Adam?” he asked impatiently.

“He was Kurt's boyfriend, who died two years ago from AIDS,” Rachel said at point blank.

In one instant Blaine's anger ceased and was replaced with gut-wrenching guilt that made him feel sick to his stomach. “I think I'm going to be sick...” Blaine said, nearly gagging on his words. True to his assumptions, his insides churning, Blaine stood up and did the only thing he could: he made a dive for the wastebasket at the side of the desk to vomit. When he was finally done, Blaine wiped the side of his mouth with his hand but he didn't feel much better. He slumped down on the floor. “I -- I don't know what to say...” he stuttered.

Rachel crouched down beside Blaine to place a supportive hand on his shoulder. “Kurt isn't very talkative when it comes to his personal life. So you had no way to know... and while I know that won't fully make up for his actions. I hope it explains them somewhat. What happened, Blaine? Did he push you away and ask you to leave?” Rachel coaxed.

Blaine took a deep breath as he stood back up, nodding in confirmation as he tried to wrap his head around this new information. Rachel was right; Kurt's cold treatment towards him was still uncalled for in Blaine's mind. But now he knew the source of Kurt's fear and as he thought back on their exchange, his queasiness was getting worse. “Yes he did. After he found out I've had unprotected sex and have never been tested... but not before he started to lecture me on my stupidity,” Blaine admitted.

Thanks to Kurt, Rachel knew the dangers of AIDS and how gay men had the highest risk when it came to STDs. But few people did, even when the disease was becoming more widespread as time went on. “Blaine, I already know you didn't mean to put yourself -- or Kurt -- in any danger. You're just uneducated and didn't realize --”

“Thanks for trying but you don't need to patronize me. Kurt was right, I am stupid. I should have known better,” Blaine interrupted.

“But I doubt you had much chance to learn, at least not from anyone you knew, like your parents. Information about safe sex is hard to find as it is, and for gay men, it's nearly impossible,” Rachel countered.

“I'm sure if I had looked hard enough I would have found it though. So it's my fault for not trying at all,” Blaine argued.

Rachel rolled her eyes. “We're getting away from the big issue here, Blaine,” she pointed out.

That was true and Blaine nodded in agreement. “Okay yeah. This is about Kurt and I’s... predicament. But there's not much else to tell. Kurt asked me to get tested, which I agreed to. But when Kurt asked me to leave I got defensive and we broke into a big argument before I got too pissed off and stormed out of the apartment,” Blaine finished. 

“I take it Kurt hasn't approached you since?” Rachel asked, proving she still knew brother well enough to anticipate his actions.

“We ran into each other at work last night but he made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me. Not until the test results come back and those could take up to three weeks. I still don't understand why he's so bent on acting like nothing’s happened!” Blaine grumbled. But then he remembered Adam and Blaine's anger started to dissipate once more. “Fuck! What the hell am I saying? Kurt's already had an AIDS scare and actually lost a boyfriend to the disease,” Blaine muttered as guilt washed over him.

“Adam had already contracted AIDS when he and Kurt started dating though, so there was no scare,” Rachel explained.

Blaine blinked at her. “Oh,” he said softly.

Now it was Rachel's turn to let out a tired sigh, “Look, Blaine, I know it's not my place to tell you Kurt's story. But I think we both know he won't voluntarily tell it himself and if you're so upset that you came all this way to talk to me about it, then it's clear you need to know, for both of your sakes. So I'll tell you, though I have half a mind to confront Kurt afterwards. But then, he's probably got enough to deal with right now,” Rachel rambled, more to herself than to the young man at her side.

“Lack of information is what got the both of us into this mess. So if you're willing to tell me anything I'd be much obliged,” Blaine said with a weak smile.

Rachel took a seat and urged Blaine to do the same. Once seated, Rachel was left with the daunting task of telling Kurt's tragic life story. Considering Blaine's delicate state of mind, Rachel chose to give the abridged version. “Kurt and Adam met a little over three years ago and they hit it off right away… until Adam suddenly gave Kurt the brush off and went so far as to avoid him outright. But when Kurt has his mind set on something, or, in this case someone, he's not one to back down easily. It took him two weeks but Kurt managed to track Adam down to get some answer, which Adam finally gave but they were nothing Kurt could have anticipated. Adam had learned he'd contracted AIDS, which had no cure, and if he and Kurt were to be intimate, Kurt would risk becoming infected himself. You think that would have marked the end of their potential relationship but Kurt's really stubborn and Adam was equally smitten with Kurt. So they decided to be together anyway and they got to be, for one year, I've never seen Kurt so happy before. Up until that point, he had never been in a relationship before. They got serious really quickly and then suddenly Adam got sick... and he never got better. Kurt stayed by his side until the end,” Rachel explained.

Tears streamed down Blaine's face, full of so much empathy he could barely hold himself together. He took a deep breath, his lips quivering under the emotional strain, “Wow... I had no idea... Kurt, he... he always acts so strong...” Blaine said softly.

“I know, but sometimes I think Kurt is too strong for his own good. He doesn't like to depend on anyone. After Adam died he tried to push my dads and I away but we wouldn't let him. But he still kept his emotions hidden and went through the grieving process mostly on his own,” Rachel said.

Just when Blaine was starting to see the reality of their situation, he looked over at Rachel to see her eyes darting back and forth as she fidgeted nervously in her seat. “What?” he asked warily.

“That's not all of it...” Rachel admitted reluctantly.

Blaine's eyes widened. “There's more?” he asked in surprise.

Rachel nodded. “Not about Adam but it's something you should know. This wasn't the first time Kurt has lost someone close to him. His parents are both dead; his mother died in a car crash when he was seven and his dad died from a heart attack when Kurt was sixteen,” she told Blaine. 

The queasy feeling in Blaine’s stomach came back but there was nothing left to upheave, fortunately. But that didn't mean Blaine was reacting well to the information; his heart felt like it was aching from remorse. Since he'd met Rachel, she had never described Kurt as her 'adoptive brother' so Blaine had thought they were stepsiblings. Before that, Blaine had simply assumed Kurt's wealth had come from rich doting parents, which was something Blaine didn't have. “I didn't know...” he breathed.

“Very few people do, at least where his parents are concerned. Kurt purposely keeps his personal life very guarded....” Rachel began. “Which is why he hasn't fully opened up to my family, though I know he loves us.”

“But Kurt has lost everyone who was close to him ... so he thinks if he keeps enough distance it will keep them safe... and him in turn,” Blaine finished for her.

Rachel smiled lightly at Blaine. That was exactly what she had planned to say. “Yes exactly, though I don't agree with that choice. But, like I said, Kurt is stubborn,” she said.

Blaine also agreed with Rachel, since he thrived on social interactions. “After hearing all this... is it horrible for me to still think that Kurt handled the situation badly?” he asked Rachel.

“No,” Rachel answered without hesitation. She stopped to hug Blaine in reassurance, and he hugged her back graciously. “I wasn't there but I know you didn't mean to put him at risk,” she added softly.

Blaine let out a long sigh of relief. Yes, Kurt had his reasons but in this case ignoring the problem wouldn't do him any good. Kurt had asked for space but learning his backstory wouldn't make Blaine's decision any easier. “Thanks for telling me all this Rachel,” he said.

Rachel smiled warmly at Blaine. “You like him, don't you?” she asked.

Blaine wouldn't have thought he'd be able to blush under the circumstances but it was possible, it seemed. “I ... I think so. Only... all this mess has gotten in the way of me knowing for sure,” Blaine admitted.

“I bet he feels the same way, Blaine,” Rachel announced.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Woman's intuition?” he teased.

While Blaine's act was quite convincing, Rachel got the feeling he was simply putting on a brave face. “Is there anything I can do to help you, Blaine?” she offered.

Blaine thought about it for a moment, only to shake his head. “No, thank you but... I need some time alone to think things through, so I should probably go,” he replied. Rachel stepped back to allow Blaine to leave but then as he made his way to the door he got a sudden thought. “Wait, is there anything else I should know?”

“Actually, yes. The second year anniversary of Adam's death is in two days. So I would advise you to tread lightly around Kurt... at least until then,” Rachel said.

Sometimes, even Blaine found it hard to know wrong from right. He wanted to talk to Kurt, even if he would be far from amused when he learned what Blaine now knew. Whether there was something between them or not, Blaine didn't want Kurt thinking he had to go this alone. “Alright. Thanks. I guess I have some serious thinking to do. Wish me luck,” Blaine said as he gave Rachel a weak smile before he left the room.

Rachel watched him go. Blaine might be willing to give Kurt the space he thought he needed, but she knew sometimes the only way she could get a response from Kurt was to go the invasive route. But this time, she chose to wait and see if the need would arise and she hoped her normally independent brother would come to his senses on his own for once. Because Blaine could be just the person to turn his life around for the better.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Most people at Flare instantly caught on that whenever Hummel spent an extended amount of time alone in his office, it meant he didn't want to be bothered. Kurt tried to tell himself that, this time at least, he wasn't going there to avoid people, but even he wasn't buying it. Kurt knew the actual reason that everyone was leaving him alone was the upcoming date. 

Before Kurt could begin to remember that horrible day, a sudden knock at the door startled him back into awareness. Kurt got up with a loud grumble; it could be Blaine and he was the last person he wanted to see right now. So Kurt was ready to dish out whatever anger he could to make the intrusive man stay away as he yanked the door open with a glare already in place.

But it wasn't Blaine at all, but Tobin, one of the servers who had been working at the club for nearly three years. Kurt knew all about him and his work performance of course, as he did with all of the staff. Tobin was in his early twenties, a little on the conceited side but dedicated enough when it came to work to remain employed at Flare.

Kurt's annoyed expression melted away at the sight of him, because he knew that look; it was the face of a terrified man fearing for his life. “Tobin? What's wrong?” Kurt asked with genuine concern.

The man’s whole body began to shake as he struggled to speak but no words came out of his mouth. Kurt made no attempts to make him talk and hugged Tobin tightly when he started to cry. The young man fell into Kurt's embrace and wept into his shoulder while Kurt stroked his back lightly. He had a feeling he knew what this was about, since Tobin had come to him three weeks before to discreetly report a personal problem.

“I... my test came back positive...” Tobin finally breathed.

“It's HIV?” Kurt asked softly.

“Yeah, but we both know it will progress to AIDS. It’s just a matter of time,” Tobin said bitterly.

Kurt made no attempt to dispute the claim. All he could do was to comfort the man in his arms the best that he could. He tightened his grip on Tobin's shaking figure, gently moving them to step inside his office, and pulled one arm free to close the door behind them.

“Why? Why the fuck did this have to happen to me?” Tobin sobbed.

Kurt had no answer to give and he wasn't about to offer Tobin any false hope by saying 'it would be okay' or anything along those lines either. Kurt knew such statements would only fall flat and could make things worse at this point. “I don't know. I don't think anyone does. Shit just happens... sometimes to the least deserving people. But the one thing I do know is ... AIDS is not punishment for homosexual sin. So don't you dare start believing that, okay?” Kurt said.

It took a while but eventually Tobin was able to pull himself together enough to stop crying. “What am I going to do?” he asked Kurt desperately.

Again, Kurt wasn't an all-knowing deity that could offer Tobin ultimate salvation. But there was one thing he could give, something he wished he'd had during the difficult times in his life. “I'm here for you, Tobin. No matter what happens next, you're not going to go through this alone,” Kurt told him.

Tobin’s smile was bittersweet, but the sight of it meant a great deal to Kurt regardless. “Thank you, Hummel. I knew I could come to you,” he said.

“It's Kurt. Now, come on... I know just the place to take you,” Kurt said as he gave Tobin's arm a supportive squeeze.

Tobin nodded, sniffling as he took Kurt's offered handkerchief to blow his nose. “Sure. What have I got to lose?” he said weakly in response.

Sometimes reality hit hard, reminding people that no matter what they were going through, someone else, somewhere, was going through much worse. It was a life lesson Kurt had to take to heart; for all of the pain and loss in his life, he still had plenty to live for even now.  
________________________________________________________________________________

“You've reached Dare to Flare, manager Stephan speaking, how may I help you?”

“Hey, Stephan, it's Blaine... um, is Hummel there?”

Blaine wasn’t sure if he was imagining the awkward silence from the other end of the phone. He really should have thought this through a bit more, because calling Hummel would seem totally out of the blue to just about anyone.

“He's not here right now. Is anything the matter, Blaine?” Stephan asked with mild concern.

“It's nothing really...” Blaine lied as he quickly tried to come up with a believable excuse for his call. “It was just something about the show, but it can wait until tonight.”

“I doubt Hummel will come in at all tonight; he has a private matter to attend to,” Stephan explained.

Did that mean Kurt had actually confided in Stephan about what was going on between them? The possibility hardly seemed likely so Blaine quickly chose against fishing for possible clues. “Oh, okay... It's no biggie… don’t worry about it,” he replied.

“It's not my place to say, Blaine, but I feel I should warn you. This is a difficult time for Hummel ... so I would conduct your interactions with him very carefully,” Stephan warned.

If only Blaine had heard those words of advice weeks ago, then maybe things would have turned out very differently. But there was no point in contemplating what could have been. All that Blaine could do now was attempt to deal with his current situation. “Thanks... I'll keep that in mind and I'll see you tonight at work,” Blaine said and ended the call.

Left with no other alternative, because Blaine wasn't about to poke his nose in Kurt's 'personal matter,' even if he was directly involved, Blaine knew what he could do instead. “Time to jumpstart the educational process...” he muttered to himself.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Blaine wasn't even aware that there were places in New York where he could learn about HIV and AIDS at all. He'd always thought finding any unbiased information about the disease (before he knew there was even a difference between the two), let alone moral support for the infected, was impossible. But such places, whether Blaine had believed in their existence or not, were real and now Blaine was in one. The shabby building hardly looked comforting on the outside, but within the halls of the little community centre was something many people, gay or straight, longed to find: acceptance and knowledge. Blaine had first gone to collect every available pamphlet on the subject so he could learn everything he was lacking. Now better informed but still slightly terrified, Blaine felt he could use a little moral support, to see with his own eyes what comfort could be offered for those who had tested positive.

Blaine was on his way to one of the support group sessions he had been invited to observe when he heard voices. He made no attempt to hide because he was allowed to be there, at least until he caught sight of the two men ahead and froze. 'It's Kurt...' he thought in amazement. '... and Tobin? What are they doing here?' 

“Thanks for bringing me here, Kurt. I didn't think anything could help... but I was wrong,” Tobin admitted weakly.

The pair were oblivious to the fact that they were being watched.

Kurt smiled at Tobin. “Realizing that you're not the only one going through this type of struggle is important,” Kurt remarked, though that comment made him feel like quite the hypocrite. “I know it's scary, and I know that your fear is justified ... but don't give up. You need to keep fighting.”

“That's easy for you to say,” Tobin said, mildly sarcastically. 

Kurt smirked at him. He was glad that Tobin was in a well enough state to attempt humour. “I'm not as ballsy as people might think, you know.”

“I know that now... and your support is really appreciated, Kurt. You didn't have to do this for me...”

“No, but I wanted to, so I did. It's as easy as that,” Kurt responded, tutting.

Blaine was too entranced from seeing the softer side of Kurt at such a close proximity to walk away or make his presence known. He'd heard before that Kurt was supportive of the staff, but he'd always doubted the real likelihood of it. Now there was no denying it since it was happening right before his very eyes. Blaine knew how few people, even inside of the gay community, would have stepped up to help a friend in need if he had AIDS. Tobin looked scared and tired and, from how Kurt was going out of his way to comfort him, it was easy to deduce that was the scenario.

Kurt, who had no idea Blaine was hidden around the corner, stopped walking down the hall and turned to face Tobin. 

“I wish I could tell you that this won't matter at work. We can keep your condition a secret but ... there's always a chance it will get out. As soon as you start rejecting any sexual advances you would normally have no problem accepting, people will start to talk,” Kurt began.

“Yeah, I figured that...” Tobin said with a sigh.

“You're not fired of course ... but honestly, it would be in your best interest to stop working at the club soon. HIV attacks the immune system, so placing yourself where there are large quantities of people is dangerous. Not to mention that despite my best efforts, sometimes the hygiene at the club is questionable. What all this means is that the life you know will need to drastically change,” Kurt explained.

“Everything you're telling me makes complete sense but I still wish I could keep lying to myself,” Tobin admitted.

“Look, Tobin, life is short ... whether you're healthy or not. So all that any of us can do is live... and... Fuck, sorry, I swear I was going somewhere with this,” Kurt grumbled.

“So I guess I should go ahead and quit.”

Kurt shook his head. “No, I am going to lay you off. I might not be able to offer you any sense of security, but I can at least help you by giving you a generous severance package.”

“Won't laying me off with no good explanation get you into trouble?” Tobin questioned.

Kurt grinned. “Ah, you forget that I'm Hard-Ball Hummel and that no one is safe from my wrath. I don't need to give a good reason because people will make one up on their own.”

Once Kurt and Tobin were on the move again, Blaine made no attempt to follow when he already had far too much to process. He'd pegged Kurt totally wrong; he wasn't an emotionally distant robot who kept people away because they weren't worth his time. Kurt was a morally compassionate person who was fiercely loyal. Honestly, he reminded Blaine of the perfect man he’d described to Tina.

The trouble was, Blaine hardly would have thought that his perfect match could be such a hypocrite. But if he had any hope of Kurt seeing the error of his ways, then holding a grudge wouldn't help his plight at all. The solution, or the beginning of one at least, was simple: it was time for Kurt to practice what he was preaching.  
_______________________________________________________________________________

“Why isn't there more time in the day?” Kurt groaned as he made his usual trek into Flare.

“Tired from burning the candles at both ends, Hummel?” a cocky-sounding voice said from somewhere behind him.

Kurt turned and felt instant relief when he saw who had approached him, because Sebastian wouldn't treat him any differently. “I'm just a bit worn out,” he insisted.

Sebastian obviously saw through the lie but made no attempt at calling Kurt out on it, which was the first clue that even he could manage to show some compassion. “So, planning to show at the memorial service tomorrow?” he asked.

Kurt narrowed his eyes at Sebastian. No one else had the nerve to ask him that. “I doubt it.... I wasn't the one to organize it so it's not like I have to go. The way I see it, people will just judge me either way, so why bother,” he explained.

“Too bad, I was hoping you'd perform something. So few people have heard your angelic voice, at least that's always how Adam always described it,” Sebastian said.

It was true that Kurt rarely ever sang in front of people, and it wasn't because he lacked any real talent. Kurt had a beautiful voice, one that could hit impressive high notes, only singing meant sharing a part of himself that Kurt didn't feel comfortable exposing. “Your guilt trip won't work. And I'm sure you can find someone else,” Kurt dismissed.

Sebastian didn't chase after Kurt as he made a hasty retreat to his office and slammed the door shut behind him. He was in a grumpy mood and, contrary to what most people would think, his melancholy state wasn't solely due to Adam. Blaine was the person who Kurt hadn't been able to forget no matter how hard he tried. At first Kurt was relieved that Blaine hadn't so much as approached him since their last run-in, but deep down Kurt had expected Blaine to put up more of a fight and the fact that he hadn’t bothered him for some reason.

But Kurt managed to momentarily forget about Blaine when he noticed a new item in his office, which was something he'd been secretly craving. Placed upon his desk was a large cup of coffee from Kurt's favourite cafe and, to his delight, the drink was not only full but still steaming hot. “Oh hell yes, maybe angels do exist,” Kurt murmured as he grabbed the cup and brought it to his lips. The drink instantly warmed his insides and brought colour back to his normally rosy cheeks. Upon tasting the contents, he discovered that it was his usual nonfat mocha and it was heavenly. “Sweet lord... that’s the stuff. I don't even care if this is poisoned...” Kurt nearly purred. 

Kurt doubted his gift of java was a practical joke, because taped to the cup was a Post-it Note.“For the valiant soldier... from a secret admirer...” Kurt mumbled as he read the words out loud. He'd never gotten an anonymous gift before and he wasn't sure what to think of it.

Stephan suddenly opened up the door to Kurt's office, because he was the only one brave enough to risk the repercussions, and strolled inside. “Afternoon,” he said in greeting, even though it was already 7 pm.

“Were you the sweetheart who got me this?” Kurt asked as he held up his coffee cup.

“No, it wasn't me. Looks like you have a secret admirer… how romantic,” Stephan gushed.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Oh please... If someone thinks they can win me over by buying me coffee, then they're kidding themselves,” he scoffed.

“Says the guy who's clutching that cup like it's the holy grail,” Stephan pointed out.

“I could go and buy my own, so it's hardly special,” Kurt argued.

“Except whoever gave you that knows you rarely have the time to indulge. I wonder who it is...”

Stephan was acting like he and Kurt were a couple of teenage girls giggling over boy crushes or something. After putting his troubles aside to come to Tobin's aid, Kurt really needed a break at this point because he was having a very hard time with trying to keep to his whole 'forget about the looming test results and Blaine' plan.

“I'm really proud of what you did for Tobin, Kurt. He told me what happened and how much it meant to him,” Stephan said softly.

Kurt took another long drink of his coffee before bothering to comment. “It's what anyone would have done in my situation...”

“Oh we both know that isn't true, Kurt. Not everyone is as giving as you. It's time you recognized your strengths...” Stephan commented. '... as well as your shortcomings...' he added mentally. 

“I'm not going to the memorial service tomorrow. I can't,” Kurt announced, even when Stephan hadn't asked him.

“Alright. People won't judge you for that choice --”

“—Yes, they will. When I don't show people will act like they know the real reason why, that maybe I didn't care so much about Adam after all. Then they'll go on to say that I recovered from his passing far too quickly and slept with loads of men. I've heard it all for the past two years and I'm so fucking sick of it. I'm touched that the service is still being held and it's not like people aren't allowed to grieve for Adam. It's just... I don't want to participate.”

“Why? What is the real reason you're so against going, Kurt?”

Since Stephan had dared to ask the question outright, Kurt chose to give him an equally gracious answer. Kurt stared him in the eye, revealing a small hint of what was really going on behind his emotional barriers. “Because if I go... I'll break under the strain... and... come completely undone,” he confessed.

Stephan made no attempt to touch Kurt, because he knew that his friend was too closed off to accept any sort of physical comfort. “Alright then, I won't push you,” Stephan promised.

“Thank you,” Kurt replied.

Stephan placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze before heading to the door. “Adam was a lucky guy... and I really hope you'll find someone who you can hold dear.”

If Kurt was HIV positive, then he doubted he'd ever find someone who would want to be with him. While Kurt himself had stayed with Adam, on some small level that he still felt guilty about regretting that difficult choice and the pain it had brought him. But he pushed those thoughts deep down inside himself, worrying that regretting such a thing would make him a horrible person who didn't deserve to be loved at all.

Stephan and Kurt left the office together, though Kurt remained quiet and Stephan knew well enough to leave him alone. But while Kurt was off in his own little world, he turned the corner to bump right into Blaine.

Blaine reeled back on his heels, swaying forward to grab onto Kurt before he could stumble forward and fall. As soon as they were both steady and upright once more, Blaine instantly dropped his hold on Kurt's body. “Whoa, careful there, Hummel,” he said with a casual smile.

Kurt glanced at him, finding no urge to give any of his usual snarky remarks in reply. “Sorry,” he muttered.

Blaine's smile widened. “No harm done,” he assured before continuing down the hall.

“I'm glad you two are finally getting along,” Stephan observed.

It would take too much effort to correct Stephan's comment, so Kurt just let out a tired sigh. He didn't know why, but there was something about Blaine's warm smile that made his gloomy day feel just a little bit brighter. “I suppose...”  
_______________________________________________________________________________

Ever since the set list meeting Sam and Blaine had been anxiously waiting to see what their stage outfits would look like. Now the wait was over and the performers could see just how skilled Hummel was with fashion. Considering how flashy stage clothes tended to be for music artists there was no telling what he would come up with, but they needn’t have worried, because somehow Kurt had managed to combine a number of fashion trends and yet still keep everything flattering. Comfort might have been compromised in consequence but such sacrifices were often necessary evils.

Sam and Blaine were both awestruck with delight as soon as they walked into their dressing room, which Kurt had miraculously transformed into a makeshift backstage area, complete with two canvas changing tents. On the left were two makeup chairs, while the couture in question was out on display on two dress form mannequins.

Sam let out an impressed whistle as he neared the dress forms. “Wow... Hummel sure went all out for our costumes.”

Blaine completely agreed with his friend’s assessment, even more so because he knew Kurt had quite a lot on his plate already. But Blaine figured Kurt already knew how to put his own personal struggles aside to get the job done. He stepped up to the ensemble that was clearly his, even without any labels to confirm it. The pants were bright red and had a black leather belt looped through, the white t-shirt had a red lightning bolt across the front and a red leather tie was draped over top of it. “He... Hummel modelled my outfit after Freddie Mercury,” Blaine said with wonder.

Sam turned his attention from admiring his own outfit to inspect his partner’s costume. He whistled again. “You're totally right. And isn't Queen your favourite band?” he asked.

Blaine nodded. “It sure is,” he confirmed.

“That's awesome, dude!” Sam cheered as he cuffed Blaine on the shoulder.

When it came to Sam's wardrobe, Hummel did not disappoint him either and the whole set showed the same attention to detail as Blaine's did. Sam's pants, while equally bright, were a striking royal blue, his t-shirt was white with an artistic pattern of overlapping black shapes and, while there was no tie, there was a pair of navy suspenders.

Sam studied his ensemble for a moment longer. “I think... That Hummel picked something for me that would let me keep passing for gay, but where it's not too obvious, you know?” he deduced.

Blaine hadn't even considered that. “I think you're right,” he agreed.

Both men had instructions to dress themselves in their stage attire and to wait for the makeup artist to show afterwards. When Blaine stepped inside one of the changing tents, his mind was still focused on Kurt and how, even in a time of crisis, he still managed to go the distance.

“Say, Sam? We should thank Hummel somehow for all the effort he put into our costumes,” Blaine suggested.

“For sure!” Sam called back in approval.

Blaine wished he could tell Sam what was really going on with himself and Kurt, just so he could have someone to talk to. Everything was rattling around in his brain: the tests results, his possible feelings for Kurt, and what they even were. But he knew it was too dangerous, so Blaine had no choice but to cope on his own and act like nothing was going on in the process. Once Blaine was fully dressed in his costume, he stepped out of the tent and found Sebastian lying in wait.

Sebastian paused to give Blaine a good once-over before flashing the man a grin. “Hey there, hot stuff. Lookin' good,” he said smoothly.

Blaine resisted the urge to roll his eyes, because Sebastian really wasn't so bad, and he managed to smile instead. “It's all thanks to Hummel,” Blaine explained.

“I would expect nothing else from him. So, Blaine, I have a favour to ask you,” Sebastian began.

Whatever he wanted, Sebastian must be pretty desperate to use his real name. Before Blaine could answer, Sam walked out of his tent to notice the new arrival. He eyed the pair curiously and muttered something about not wanting to be a third wheel before scurrying out of sight.

“What can I do for you, Sebastian?” Blaine asked in a friendly tone.

Sebastian’s charming smile intensified as he closed in on Blaine. “You play the piano, right?” he asked.

“Yes, I actually minored in piano in college, so I'm not boasting when I say I'm quite good,” Blaine confirmed.

“There's a memorial service going on tomorrow night at Flare and I am in need of a piano player for it. Are you at all interested? You'd get to play a solo piece in addition to instrumental music for the event,” Sebastian explained.

Blaine raised his eyebrow curiously; he'd heard something about a service going on but not much else. “Is this for Adam?”

Sebastian showed no surprise in Blaine knowing who Adam was because it was common knowledge around the club, even if his name wasn't mentioned very often. “Yeah, it's the two year anniversary of his death tomorrow,” he confirmed.

Blaine didn't need any time to think about it. “You can count on me. Just let me know the details and I'll be there and ready to play,” he accepted.

“The service starts at 10, but it's nothing big. Just some people paying respect with stories, memoirs, music... stuff like that. Shouldn't last more than an hour,” Sebastian explained.

“Alright, that sounds fine. Are there any specific instrumental pieces you want to me to play? Also what about my solo?”

“I'm sure you're talented enough to come up with something good in a day. Just make sure it's fitting,” Sebastian said as he turned on his heels, only to stop at the doorway. “Oh and don't expect Hummel to show, because he didn't come last year,” he added.

Blaine gave Sebastian a thumbs up in confirmation and watched the bartender go, leaving him with the daunting task of choosing appropriate music to play at the service. It didn't help that Blaine knew absolutely nothing about Adam, but he was determined to pay respects to someone he had never met because it was the right thing to do. Blaine wasn't doing this for Kurt. He would do it for himself and for all of those who had ever lost someone.  
________________________________________________________________________________

The first official performance of Dare to Flare's cover band's (which still didn't have their own name) new set list had finally come. It was the day before the 2nd year anniversary of Adam's death, which meant Kurt was a conflicted mix of emotions that night. People kept looking at him, but hardly anyone bothered to approach him to say anything. The few who did knew Kurt well enough not to treat him any differently. It all felt very familiar to Kurt and he'd hated it just as much back then as he did now, when his own health was in danger, and he could barely stand it.

Because of tomorrow Kurt did have the perfect excuse for his blue mood at present, but it didn't make him feel any better. Showing any sort of emotional weakness was the last thing he should do at the club, so Kurt had turned down Stephan's offer to stay home that day, saying that hiding away wasn't the answer; not when he had no plans to show at the service. What Kurt needed to do was hold his composure no matter what.

The only way Kurt thought he could manage that was if he kept his distance from the stage, especially now that Sam and Blaine had just arrived on the scene. Instantly Kurt tuned out the excited cheers, thankful that such a reaction was the norm for him. His mind was elsewhere and so he didn't notice Sebastian approach him at the bar until he placed a drink in front of him. “I didn't order this...” Kurt pointed out.

“It's a token of gratitude, Hummel, from the two gentlemen up on stage,” Sebastian explained.

Kurt perked up at the news. “Really? Do you know what for?”

“There's a message that came along with the drink. Here,” Sebastian said as he handed Kurt the piece of paper. “I guess they didn't trust me to tell you... which was a good call.”

Curiosity got the better of Kurt, so he opened up the note to read the message, instantly noticing how the handwriting was nearly identical to the note that had come with his coffee gift earlier that day. 'I should have known it was Blaine,' Kurt thought, though really it could have just as easily been Sam for all he knew.

Thanks for making us look so good.  
-Sam and Oates

Kurt eyed the cocktail before him; it was orange in colour and was decorated with maraschino cherries. “What type of drink is this exactly?” he questioned.

“A Harvey Wallbanger, which is made with vodka, Galliano, and orange juice,” Sebastian explained.

Such a concoction sure sounded delicious to Kurt and he was always up for trying something new, at least when it came to drinks. “Oh that's yummy...” he said after he gave it a try and licked his lips.

He heard Sebastian snicker, which probably had something to do with how Kurt never spoke like that but he gave no response. Kurt was content to remain at the bar with his delectable drink and keep his attention away from the stage. His attempts were working, until Kurt heard a familiar song start that instantly caught his attention.

There was no way Kurt could have resisted one of his all-time favourite songs, 'Obsession', which meant he was unable to stop himself from tapping his foot to the beat. It didn't surprise Kurt, though it was slightly annoying, that his eyes instantly sought out Blaine. The energetic performer was rocking it out and giving it his all as he sang the male vocals. Kurt couldn't keep his eyes off of him during the number and his throaty voice was pure sex.

When Blaine finally noticed that Kurt was watching him, his smile broadened and he went so far as to wink at the co-manager. Kurt wouldn't have thought it possible but as Blaine continued to sing a song about seduction, Kurt kept laughing. But that probably had something to do with the fact that Blaine kept giving him playful glances, cheeky grins and more winks throughout the number. By the end of the performance, Kurt found his resistance had weakened under the strength of Blaine’s charm.

The adorable display was entirely missed by the clubgoers, who were all too focused on their own lives to notice. At the end of the song Kurt finally realized how he was beaming at Blaine and he took a quick look around to make sure no one had noticed. Luckily the coast was clear and so Kurt clapped along with the crowd, acting like it was no big deal. Then, without any warning, Kurt and Blaine's eyes met again and this time, Kurt felt it, a tiny spark that jolted him into awareness. Kurt froze, his heart racing and his stomach fluttering. 'No! I'm not ready for this!' a panicked voice shouted in Kurt's mind. Kurt stood up and slowly made his way through the crowd so he could slip away unnoticed.

On instinct Blaine stepped forward when Kurt suddenly left the room but he didn't get very far before he remembered there was still the second half of the show to finish. Even if Blaine wasn't powerless to do anything, he wasn't sure if he could chase after Kurt. He wanted to, of course, but he had the feeling that all that would do was drive Kurt further away.

Blaine ended up missing his dance cue and stumbled into Sam, who looked at his friend in confusion.

“Where the hell have you gone, Blaine?! We've got a show to do here!” Sam hissed through clenched teeth.

Blaine snapped back into action and quickly made up for his momentary lapse, robbing him of seeing Kurt's lingering look before he disappeared into the back of the club.  
_________________________________________________________________________________

Kurt stumbled toward his office in a daze; he wasn't emotionally strong enough to deal with all of the new feelings stirring in his heart. Blaine confused him so much and that scared him, because there was too much at stake. What was the point in falling in love if there was no hope for the future, no happily ever after?

“Kurt? What's wrong?” Stephan's soft voice called out.

Kurt fought the urge to run. Facing Stephan, even though he was only concerned for Kurt's wellbeing, would be the final straw. If he tried to explain anything to his friend, whether it was a lie or not, Kurt's emotional barriers would fall apart. Already his body was shaking under the strain of keeping his integrity. “I have to go. I can't do this, Steph, I'm sorry... it's too much,” Kurt struggled to explain.

Stephan didn't advance on Kurt since doing so would only trigger his flight instinct but he refused to back down entirely. Not when his young friend was showing telltale signs of breaking under the pressure. But for all his mastering of the art of handling Kurt, Stephan couldn't understand why he looked so terrified. “Kurt, there's something you're not telling me and I'm getting scared about what it could be...” Stephan told him softly.

Kurt's inability to confide in someone he truly trusted showed how emotionally unstable he was at this point. He didn't want to be like this, but Kurt couldn't face the truth of his situation, any of it. “I'm sorry. You've been nothing but an amazing friend to me... but...” Kurt hesitated.

There was no way Stephan would add to the stress Kurt was obviously going through, no matter how worried he was. “Come to me when you're ready to talk, okay?” Stephan said.

The only sound in the hallway came from Kurt's quiet shuddering breath as he fought to keep himself together. He barely managed to nod without crying. “I will. I promise,” Kurt whispered.

Stephan stepped back to allow Kurt to race off down the hall and walked into Kurt's office to pick up the phone as soon as he was gone. Stephan knew his place and that he had no real right to chase after Kurt, since clearly whatever he was going through was deeply personal. But that didn't mean he was about to let the matter drop entirely, because Stephan had a secret weapon. “Hello, Rachel. There's something I need to tell you...”  
_______________________________________________________________________________

“Another night well spent,” Hunter said to himself as he strutted down the hall toward his front door with his usual swagger.

But Hunter's good mood swiftly changed the second he set foot in the apartment to find his roommate was splayed out on the floor of the living room with a keyboard on his right. “What the hell, Anderson? The last I checked this was an apartment, not a recording studio,” he grumbled in annoyance.

Blaine glanced up from the collection of sheet music in front of him to look at Hunter. He was in no state to deal with his tiresome roommate; he was a man on a mission. It didn't matter that Blaine had no personal investment in the job either; he still wanted to do it and do it well. “I'm busy here, Hunter, so fuck off,” Blaine said warningly.

Hunter smirked. Blaine had never acted so aggressively towards him before, and it was kind of hot. “What are you doing? Writing the next big gay musical?” he taunted.

“I'm playing the piano for Adam's memorial service at Dare to Flare tonight,” Blaine explained absentmindedly, still focused on finding the perfect song to sing.

“Who's Adam?”

That comment got Blaine's attention and he stood up to gape at Hunter in shock. Considering that Hunter was sleeping with Kurt, even if only casually, Blaine had thought he'd at least know who Adam was. “He was Kurt's boyfriend who died two years ago from AIDS,” Blaine explained.

Hunter ignored the information altogether. “So you know his name now? How'd that happen?” Hunter asked in curious amusement.

Blaine couldn't believe Hunter's disregard for what really mattered and he threw his hands up in frustration. “Didn't you hear what I just said? Kurt had a boyfriend who _died_ , Hunter, actually died and you're focusing on me knowing Kurt's name? You need to get your priorities straight before your bad life choices catch up with you!” he yelled.

“I heard you, but why should I care about a guy I never met and who's dead? Kurt never told me about any past boyfriend of his. We barely even talk when we meet up because all we wanna do is fuck. Don't try to force your moral ethics on me, Anderson. I don't need or want your approval. So back off,” Hunter threatened.

Blaine took the warning to heart, though it was tactless so he couldn’t bring himself to feel very guilty about his outburst. But he did realize that venting his frustrations at Hunter wouldn't do him any good. “Sorry. I've just been under a lot of stress lately. Don't worry, I won't tell you what they are... but you're gonna have to live with the state of the living room for a few more hours at least. I still need to find the perfect song to sing at the service,” Blaine muttered.

“He had to have died before you moved here, so I don't see why you're trying so hard,” Hunter said.

Hunter's presence was making Blaine feel more irritated by the second and so he figured he could use a quick break. Getting up off the floor with a sigh, he headed over to the fridge to get himself a beer. “I don't need to have known him to care, Hunter. Losing someone is a situation we can all find ourselves in without any warning. In the gay community casualties like this are bound to increase and I refuse to pretend that nothing is going on,” Blaine said softly.

Hunter shrugged, choosing not to challenge Blaine's opinions. “This is why I'm glad I've always used protection when I have sex with men,” he remarked. “Which is probably why Kurt hooks up with me in the first place.”

“I'm sure I'll live to regret this, but what’s the deal with you and Kurt?” Blaine asked warily.

Hunter shrugged again and paused to get a beer for himself before he told the tale to his roommate. “Kurt was my first. Well, the first guy I ever slept with... for full-on anal, anyway. It happened… oh, let's see... about eight months ago. Up until that point I just ignored being bi and I only went after women, 'cause that was easier. I sure as hell wasn't gonna get the shit beaten out of me for sucking cock. What I hadn't bet on was meeting a guy so hot and brash that I couldn't turn his sexual advances down. Kurt and I first crossed paths when I was trying on a suit in a high end department store. Suddenly, this stuffy guy started giving me his opinion without asking. Naturally we started arguing and, before we knew it, that anger changed to sexual tension. Who would have thought making out with a guy in a store changing room would be such a rush,” Hunter muttered as he started to smile from the memory. “Shortly after that we went back to my apartment to fuck. Kurt told me right at the start that condoms were mandatory and I said yes 'cause I wanted him that badly,” Hunter explained.

“Wow... That's quite the story,” Blaine replied. It was all he could think to say.

“Yeah, well, Kurt didn't care that I was bi and was fine with me staying in the closet... and he was one hell of a lay. So it's probably not much of a surprise that we became fuck buddies, though 'buddies' is a bit of a stretch. We never bothered to get chummy; Kurt's got quite the stick up his ass most of the time,” Hunter said.

“He's been through more hardships than you could even know, so try to cut him some slack. Now if you don't mind... I have a song to find and practice,” Blaine said coldly.

Hunter shook his head at Blaine. “I'm gonna go then, since the last thing I wanna do is watch your pathetic struggles. Though you might not want to overthink it too much there, Anderson, the guy is nothing but a memory now. Singing about him won't bring him back,” he offered.

Blaine didn't have time to argue with Hunter and his inability to have any sense of sentiment but his snide remark did give him a sudden idea. “Memory...” he whispered.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

Kurt took his time coming home, as he was in no real rush to make it to his apartment. He opened the door to find Rachel was silently waiting inside and reading one of his vintage playbills. At first Kurt made no acknowledgement of her presence, choosing to ignore her instead as he put his jacket and scarf away.

“Lemme guess... Stephan called you?” Kurt asked without bothering to look her way.

“Of course he did. He's worried about you, Kurt. You've never left work in a state like that before. So can you really blame him?” Rachel replied.

Kurt let out a small sigh. “I guess I can't... only I really don't want to deal with it right now,” Kurt grumbled.

Rachel gingerly put down the playbill and walked over to Kurt, eyeing him playfully but in her tough love sort of way. She knew if she wanted to get anything from her brother, she needed to handle him very carefully. If possible, she hoped to help him without a fight breaking out but she'd go there if need be. “Kurt, Blaine came to me two days ago... so I know what's going on with you and him. I love you, but you're acting like a complete idiot,” Rachel declared.

“He told you?” Kurt asked angrily.

“He came to me utterly upset and scared, Kurt, all because you wouldn't face him! Not to mention how you literally tossed him out the door. How could you do that to him?” Rachel demanded. She was more than willing to escalate things since Kurt was already going there; she wasn't above turning to dramatics as well.

“What about me? Blaine was the one who had unprotected sex and didn't tell me! He's the one who's put us both in serious danger! Why am I the bad guy in this? I'm terrified, Rachel! Scared shitless and I cannot handle going through this again! Any of it!” Kurt barked.

“You don't even know if the tests will come back positive or not, for either of you! It's totally pointless to work yourself up already. What you should be doing is learning to lean on one other and, oh, I dunno... reach out to Blaine? Funny how you'll willingly comfort others who are in the same situation but when Blaine made it personal, you just pushed him away. Blaine is sick with guilt, Kurt; he's really upset and confused and you just left him alone!” Rachel exclaimed as she tried her hardest to make him listen to reason.

Kurt was nearly running out of excuses and, most of all, he was so sick and tired of running. “I never meant to hurt him... You need to believe me...” Kurt pleaded.

Rachel touched the sides of Kurt's face with her hands, wiping the tears off his cheek with her thumbs. “I do, but Kurt... please tell me what you're going through… so I can begin to understand.”

“I'll try. Just don't expect too much of me, okay,” Kurt said with a weak sigh.

Rachel released Kurt and allowed him to pace back and forth because she recognized that he was struggling with what he could say and not because he was trying to stall for once. “There are four scenarios that could happen, Kurt: either both of your tests come back negative... or they're both positive... or it could be one of each. I know two of those are really scary. But you have to realize that if you're the one whose test comes back positive... Blaine would never abandon you to deal with that all on your own,” Rachel offered softly.

“I know, but what if he stays by my side because he feels responsible? I know what it's like to be with someone who has AIDS, Rachel. It's rough and there is no real reward at the end... only death... and so much fucking pain!” Kurt cried out.

“I thought you said you were over your grieving period?” Rachel asked.

“I was!” Kurt snapped. “Or I thought I was, but clearly I'm not. At least not enough to face this fucking mess. If Blaine's positive and I'm not... then I don't want to abandon him either, but I honestly don't know if I can face that much heartache again. No matter what I might feel for him.”

“Do you have feelings for Blaine?”

“I dunno. Possibly. Most likely. I was wrong about him. Blaine is a wonderful person, but still a really foolish one! He should have known better!”

“Kurt, Blaine's isn't the only uneducated gay man who doesn't know the importance of safe sex. You used to be one of them. Before you met Adam you admitted to me that you'd had unprotected sex before. But you can't blame Blaine for what happened, not entirely, because the both of you got really drunk. So I doubt neither of you were in your right minds that night. You forgot about using condoms just like Blaine did and _you_ knew their significance,” Rachel rambled.

“Why are you on his side?” Kurt demanded.

“I'm on your side, too! Why else would I even be here arguing with you right now?” Rachel challenged.

“Fine! Okay, yes, Blaine isn't the only one to blame. I already know I handled the situation with him badly, too! But I didn't know what to do or how to react... I just knew I had to keep Blaine away,” Kurt barked back in defence.

“But why? Is it because of Adam? Are you afraid if you love someone else that you would be betraying him somehow?”

“No, Adam told me he wanted me to find someone else ... and I know he would want me to be happy...”

“Then what is it? Why are you so afraid to act on your feelings this time?”

Kurt stepped backward as Rachel advanced on him in his desperation and he found himself literally being backed into a corner. His back hit the wall and there was nowhere to run, not from Rachel or the truth. But Kurt's fear was still building at an alarming rate and it was making him equally angry in turn. “What the fuck could even happen if I give into those feelings? If one of us is HIV positive and it's Blaine... then I'll lose him and when I do... I don't think I could live with myself anymore!”

Rachel was confused beyond ends; Kurt wasn't making any sense. “When Adam died you managed to keep going! You refused to give up on your life, so why... why are you acting like you can't be that strong again?” Rachel demanded.

“Because I never loved him!” Kurt shouted at the top his lungs.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight – Final Chapter

\-- Late September, 1983 --

It wouldn't be long now. The doctor had told Kurt that today would be the day and Kurt would finally have to admit that Adam was dying. In the past three days Adam's health had gone downhill rapidly and he couldn't even breathe on his own anymore. His friends and family had offered to be there with him until the end, but he'd turned everyone away. Adam had already spoken with his parents as well, when he had still been able to, and at his request, only Kurt remained.

When Kurt stepped back into the room slowly, he held his breath at the sight of Adam. He hadn't wanted to leave him but his own bodily functions were still going strong and he'd eventually needed to take a bathroom break. Somehow in the few minutes since he’d left, Adam looked worse, or maybe Kurt had tried to forget how bad things had gotten, if only for a moment.

Adam's weakened body stirred when Kurt returned to his side to clutch the hand laying at his side on the bed. His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to speak, but Kurt made soothing sounds of assurance, telling him he didn't have to try.

“You know... I kept telling myself this day wouldn't come... that we could defeat this. That the doctors had it wrong and AIDS wasn't as bad as everyone says it is. But that was selfish of me ... and I only wish I knew what I could even do to help you...” Kurt rambled.

Adam squeezed Kurt's hand weakly, but the grief-stricken young man still felt it and he went silent. “You're ... here ... enough ...” Adam struggled to say through his raspy breaths.

Trying to blink away his tears, Kurt squeezed Adam's hand as he rested his head upon his chest. “Don't say anything. You don't have the strength...” he sobbed.

“Love you...” Adam wheezed.

Stillness. Adam's chest had stopped moving and the room went quiet, save only for his heart beat flat-lining on the monitor. Kurt’s head snapped up to see Adam's eyes were closed. Kurt had lost his chance to say he loved him one last time. “No... don't go ... You can't! Don't leave me! I can't live through this again! Adam, wake up!” Kurt pleaded hysterically.

At the sound of the sudden commotion and the machine alerting them to Adam's passing, two nurses rushed in. One quickly went to Adam's body while the other tried her best to hold Kurt back and get him to calm down. But it was no use, Kurt was hysteric with grief and no amount of comfort could contain his despair.

“What the fuck did we do to deserve this?” Kurt shouted out angrily.

“Mr. Hummel, you need to calm down,” the nurse told him.

But Kurt wasn't about to relax, not when he felt like his life was ending. “It's my fault... I didn't tell him... I didn't love him enough...” Kurt wept.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

“No!” Kurt shouted as he woke with a start. 

Rachel immediately ran into the room to find Kurt sitting up on the bed in a cold sweat, breathing hard and looking ghostly pale. “Kurt! Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?” she asked, concerned.

Kurt took a deep breath but no words came out at first. He was still too shaken up from the vivid images to speak properly just yet. He shook his head, unable to lie to her, and she quickly picked up on his unease as she made her way over to him. She came to sit next to him on the bed, rubbing the back of his shoulders lovingly as he got himself under control.

“It wasn't just a bad dream... I was reliving when Adam died,” Kurt explained weakly.

Last night the adoptive siblings had reached their breaking point when Kurt had shouted at her, which had made them both realize that they needed to stop before things truly got out of hand. So Rachel had made a deal with Kurt: she would spend the night and they would try again in the morning. Kurt had agreed, simply grateful she was willing to make any sort of compromise.

Rachel's face was full of sympathy as she watched Kurt fight to regain control once more. “Are you ready to talk now?” she asked.

Kurt was tempted to reply with a snarky ‘no,’ but he held his tongue. He owed her. “Obviously delaying the inevitable isn't working... so, yeah, we can continue where we left off,” Kurt said.

“Thank you,” Rachel cooed and she kissed him on the cheek.

This same time last year Kurt had spent the night at Rachel and Finn's apartment, at their insistence. Now one year later, things had come full circle, and Rachel was the one crashing at his apartment, even if the reason was the same. For all Kurt's resistance, he still couldn't fully cut himself off from social connections. Having people in his life who he not only cared about, but whose company he actually enjoyed, made the world brighter. They gave Kurt a reason to get up in the morning that went beyond the need to earn his paycheck. The only reason losing not only one, but three people whom he felt closest to had been so unbearable was he'd allowed those connections to form in the first place. When it came to his parents it was natural that he would love them, but as he grew older it took more effort to maintain those relationships. Or they would have, if Kurt hadn't lost his mother at such a young age and even his dad’s death had happened way too soon.

Kurt broke away from such thoughts when he saw that Rachel was a second away from becoming forceful to get him to talk again. “I loved Adam... but I wasn't in love with him...” Kurt began.

“I don't understand what you mean by that, Kurt,” Rachel admitted.

“It means that what I felt for him wasn't romantic,” Kurt said. Then, more quietly, he added, “Wow, that's the first time I've said that out loud.”

Rachel put her own surprise aside so she could focus on Kurt and what he clearly needed to finally get off of his chest. “How long have you known?” she asked softly.

Kurt pulled his knees up to rest under his chin and held them in place with his arms. “I'm not exactly sure... I think in the beginning I honestly didn't know the difference. I'd never fallen in love before, or dated anyone. So when Adam came along... I just assumed I would fall for him in due time. To me, that was just how it worked: boy meets boy and the feelings would come later or something. I was dazzled by his charm and loved the attention he gave me. So when he suddenly disappeared, I refused to be pushed aside without any explanation. I think if Adam and I had been able to be in a more normal relationship, well as normal as one with two guys can get in this day and age, I think I would have been more perceptive of my true feelings. But who knows. Now I realize that I was probably more in love with the idea of being in love,” Kurt rambled. “But when Adam finally told me why he'd stepped back, I just decided I wasn't going to walk away from him. He kept telling me I didn't have to stay... but I wouldn't take no for an answer....”

“I know. I remember we had a very heated discussion about whether or not you should risk it,” Rachel piped up.

Kurt smiled gently at the memory. “I don't even remember who won there. But I still decided to throw caution to the wind and date Adam anyway. I wanted to experience love... and I didn't think I would get another opportunity... god, that sounds so selfish!” Kurt grumbled, shaking his head. He was trying so hard to sound profound but was failing miserably.

“It's not like you were intentionally misleading him or anything,” Rachel pointed out.

That was certainly true and Kurt took those words straight to heart so he could continue his explanation. “It's no surprise that things between Adam and I took a very serious turn right from the beginning. Adam didn't know how much time he had, but it wasn't long... a few years at best, and there wasn't any time to let our romance blossom slowly. But I never felt pressured by him; Adam was so sweet to me even when he was going through so much. I thought it would only be a matter of time before I fell helplessly in love with him. But as the months passed... the moment never came and when Adam told me he loved me one night, I... panicked and said it back to him and I guess I convinced myself that I meant it... at least for a while. I wanted to be there for him and offer all of my love... but I was still afraid. That's why we never tried to do anything sexual,” Kurt explained.

Kurt still remembered the night when he had broken down crying during one of their more passionate make out sessions. He'd wanted so desperately to be able to make Adam feel good and to be able to share a part of himself and experience intimacy. But the risk was too great and the consequences too severe and no amount of precaution could offer complete safety.

“That's when Adam got sick and everything else, even sorting out my actual feelings, was put aside so I could look after him,” Kurt continued.

At the time Rachel had constantly told those around her how Kurt was pushing himself too hard. He’d always looked so worn out and stressed but never once did he complain. Adam had admitted to her during a hospital visit that he didn't deserve him, but Kurt had overheard the claim and quickly shushed his boyfriend, saying he didn't want to hear Adam speak those foolish words again.

“In the back of my mind I kept thinking, ‘Why can't I love Adam as much as he loves me?’ It was like something was wrong with me....”

“Sometimes, no matter how well suited you think you are, it's just not meant to be,” Rachel offered.

Such words of comfort weren’t anything Kurt wanted to hear and he let out a mocking laugh. “Not meant to be. Oh, that is rich. Adam was everything I wanted in a man: he was giving, passionate, and someone who made me feel so safe and special--”

“-- Kurt!” Rachel said firmly to interrupt her brother's pity party. “Love is not a choice.”

“Really? 'Cause most of the world still thinks it is!” Kurt snapped in defence.

“But not you...” Rachel said. “Or me.”

She was right of course, and Kurt knew when he'd lost the argument, mainly because his heart wasn't really in it. He let out a tired sigh; he was getting away from what he had been trying to tell her. “I was so stubborn during Adam's last few months, reaffirming in my doubtful mind that I did love him. He had become my whole world and I didn't want to ever lose him. I worked myself up so much and I really believed it back then. But even if I truly had loved Adam, he was still dying and there was nothing I could do to save him,” Kurt said meekly.

“Kurt, everyone around you thought you were the bravest and most kindhearted person, Adam most of all. I was there, Kurt. Not all the time, but enough that I saw how much you meant to him,” Rachel told him.

“That almost makes it worse, though. He loved me so much... so why couldn't I return those feelings? After he died, I was too stricken with grief to admit the truth. The idea that I didn't truly love him rattled me and made me feel like I was ruining his memory with lies. So I fought the truth of the situation as hard as I could... and it wasn't until I slept with Sebastian that was I finally able to stop lying to myself. I hadn't fallen for Sebastian, not even when we got close during our grieving periods, that much I was sure of, but coming to fully understand my feelings also made me realize... I hadn't love Adam either,” Kurt explained.

“You did, though. You just said it yourself. You loved him, Kurt and you still cared for him deeply. Just not romantically, and there's nothing wrong with that,” Rachel countered.

Kurt was getting sick of Rachel and her philosophical replies, but he knew she wouldn't leave him alone for a while yet. There was still a lot of ground to cover, and they hadn't even touched on Blaine yet. Kurt already knew that there was no way he could forget him and he actually didn't want to.

“The thing I don't get is if you didn't love Adam romantically, then why are you so bent on pushing Blaine away?” Rachel admitted.

“Isn't obvious? I'm too scared. Because what if one of us is positive? What if it's Blaine? If losing Adam was so hard for me when I didn't even love him, then if I were to fall for Blaine and start a relationship with him ... only for it to end whenever he dies no matter how much I love him... then I'm afraid I won't be able to recover. It will break me, Rachel; my heart won't be able to take it. But if I have HIV, then there's no way I'd want to put Blaine through so much pain. I couldn't do that to him! He deserves so much better, an actual future! And don't get me started if we both have it! Fuck, there would be so much pressure on the both of us and... no. I can't do it!” Kurt cried out in desperation.

Rachel might not be as wise as Kurt's father had been but she still had her own sense of wisdom and she was bent on using it to help Kurt focus on the positive. “You're intentionally leaving out the third scenario: what if both of your results come back clean? Will you still push Blaine away then? Nobody knows how long they have to live!”

“That’s beautiful, Rachel. You should publish a book of a poems or something,” Kurt said dryly.

“Where is the Kurt Hummel I know? The one who refused to hide who he was on the inside? My courageous friend who stepped out of the shadows and inspired countless gay men to come out of the closet? You don't know how many lives you've changed or how many people you have inspired over the years! You are the strongest person I know, Kurt! So stop putting yourself down, because you're better than this! You deserve to find love and Blaine could be the one! Don't let him get away! Go after him! Find out if you two have what it takes to go the distance. Forget about the risks and the unknowns and just go after him and offer up your goddamn heart!” Rachel pleaded.

But her impressive pep talk didn’t seem to be working, or so she thought as she was forced to watch Kurt storm off and away from her nagging. Rachel threw her hands in the air; Kurt was so infuriatingly impossible at times! “Don't you dare walk away from me, Kurt Elizabeth Hummel! Get back here!” she bellowed.

“What? Am I not allowed to take a piss?” Kurt called out.

Rachel refused to drop her guard, because there was no telling what Kurt would do. He was being very honest with her but she wasn't about to let it make up for how impossibly stubborn Kurt was acting. “As long as you're not running away, because I will camp outside your bathroom door if need be,” she warned.

“Don't you have a life of your own? A loving husband, not to mention your career… so can you really abandon all that for much longer?” Kurt sassed.

“As soon as you tell me what you're going to do... then I'll leave you alone,” Rachel chimed.

Kurt wasn't as confident as his snarky voice implied, which was his real reason for escaping into the bathroom. The added privacy did little to help him, though. If anything it showed Kurt that he needed to stop running from his fears. At first it was easy to convince himself putting everything involving Blaine on hold until the test results came back was right, but thanks to Rachel's lecturing, he now saw that pushing Blaine away was the worst thing he could do. Kurt wasn't the only one whose fate hung in the balance after all. What Kurt needed to do was confront Blaine, but after that he had no clue what would happen. But if Kurt kept hiding in his bathroom, then he'd never know one way or the other. When he thought about what he could gain if he was willing to take the chance, it was just enough to push him to act.

“Kurt!”

“Shut up! How am I supposed to decide if you won't let me think?” Kurt hissed.

The problem was that Kurt didn't even know how to track Blaine down at this hour. Kurt figured he was probably working at his day job at some diner that Kurt didn't even know the name of, let alone the location. Asking around for information was the worst possible thing Kurt could do as well. So as much as he wanted to act, it was easier said than done. 

“If you come out, then maybe I can help!” Rachel said loudly.

Kurt opened the door to the bathroom without any warning, causing Rachel to tumble forward since she had been leaning on it. Kurt's quick reflexes stopped her from falling to the floor but as soon as she was upright Kurt pushed his way past her to pick up his telephone.

“What are you --” Rachel started to ask.

“ -- Shh! I'm on the phone! Hunter! Good, you're still at work. Do you know where Blaine's day job is?” Kurt rambled without taking a pause for breath.

“What is it with everyone thinking I care about anyone besides myself? I have no idea where he works during the day,” Hunter replied.

“I figured as much but I had to try. If you see him at all today get him to call me. ‘Kay, bye,” Kurt said as he cut Hunter off before he could make any snide remarks.

Utterly defeated, Kurt slumped down on his couch and curled himself into a ball with his afghan throw pulled up over his head.

Rachel shook her head at the sight of him. “You can't give up already,” she said.

“Watch me,” Kurt's weak voice replied from under his blanket hideaway.

Rachel crouched down in front of Kurt's still figure and poked him in the side without warning. That got a reaction and soon she launched a tickle attack that made him spring out from under his blanket in surrender. “Uncle! I plead Uncle, Rachel! Stop it!” Kurt begged as he laughed uncontrollably.

Victory achieved, Rachel withdrew but took the blanket away from Kurt and kept it behind her back. “Why don't you start off with something slow?” she offered.

“Such as?” Kurt asked warily.

“Come with me to Adam's memorial service at Flare tonight. I know you want to go to it. Maybe if you can manage that then facing Blaine won't be so bad. You can pay your respects to Adam and maybe... finally forgive yourself in the process,” She explained.

It all sounded too simple to Kurt but he wanted it to be possible, more than anything. He needed to face his fears, even the ones he hadn't admitted to Rachel. “Okay. I'll go,” Kurt said, giving in at last.

Rachel clapped her hands together in delight. “Oh Kurt, I'm so happy you said yes!” she nearly squealed.

Kurt's own smile in response was much weaker but just as genuine. Hopefully after the service was over he could to track Blaine down and make things right between them. “But if I'm going, then I need to dress accordingly. So we're not going anywhere for a while yet,” Kurt warned.

“But the service isn't until ten!” Rachel groaned.

“Hmm... That should be just enough time, but there's not a moment to lose,” Kurt replied as he darted off to his closet.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Blaine hadn't known what to expect when he'd arrived at Flare that night for Adam's memorial service. Since Kurt himself wasn't running the show he’d figured it would be a small affair but he was quickly proven wrong. Crowded around the piano area were close to a hundred individuals and not all of them were men. Blaine was astounded; not only had so many people showed up but everyone was being quiet, respectful even, and all were fully dressed in black. Beside the piano was a large photo of Adam and in front of it was a small circle of space which no one was attempting to fill. But the most surprising thing of all was that Sebastian was standing in the centre of the circle.

When Blaine stepped into view Sebastian nodded at him in acknowledgement. “Am I late?” Blaine whispered in Sebastian's ear as he came to stand beside him.

“No, people just started showing up early. But if you could go to the piano 'cause I'd like to start things off now that you're here,” Sebastian said.

With a nod Blaine shuffled over to the piano to take his seat and wait for the cue to start playing. Sebastian cleared his throat to bring the room’s attention to him, and everyone quieted instantly. The main lights of the club had been turned off so the only true illumination was from the countless candles scattered around, in addition to the people who were holding glow sticks and lighters. It was the oddest memorial service Blaine had ever been to, but he personally thought it was wonderful all the same.

“So I'm not normally one for words, at least not ones that aren't for my personal benefit. So I need you all to bear with me here. But for once, this is no joke. We're all here tonight because of one person and that man is... was Adam Crawford. He died two years ago from AIDS, and I know he isn't the only person we've lost to the disease here at Flare. It's getting to the point where everyone in this community is connected to AIDS somehow. I also know a lot of us like to pretend it doesn't exist, or that we're immune to contracting HIV but if Hummel were here we all know he'd have a thing or two to say about that,” Sebastian began.

Blaine heard a few quiet snickers at the mention of Hummel and he held his tongue, but only because they weren't cruelly made.

“Adam was a guy who touched a lot of people, and I don't mean sexually. He showed us that having AIDS didn't mean you should act like your life was over. Even when people acted like they could catch it just from breathing the same air, he never complained or judged. He just kept on smiling away, with that typical British whimsy of his...” Sebastian described.

Who knew Sebastian could show so much sincerity? Kurt wasn’t the only one who Blaine had severely misjudged. He just wished that Kurt were there to see that so many people had shown up to pay their respects to his late boyfriend. Blaine caught Sebastian's little nod and he quickly started to play a quiet instrumental piece. He felt like he didn't really belong but at least he could make himself useful by playing the music.

“There's no point in forgetting that Flare is a nightclub but I'm afraid we're not holding a rave. No, we're going to act mature for once. But that doesn't mean we should hide who we are, because Adam wouldn't want us sitting around getting weepy. So everyone who wanted to say something will get their chance and then we'll mingle and just celebrate and honour his memory. But before any of that will begin, our talented piano man, who is playfully known around here as Oates, will play us a song. Blaine, if you could come over so you can address the audience please,” Sebastian beckoned.

Blaine narrowed his eyes in confusion. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. Blaine’s solo was scheduled towards the end of the service, not at the start. At first he mouthed 'what' to Sebastian but that only brought on a shrug. Blaine was fine to go with the sudden change and stood up from the piano to give the crowd one of his quintessential smiles. “Okay, so I wasn't expecting to go on so soon, but that's life for you, huh? Things happen without warning and sometimes all you can do is wing it and hope everything will work out,” Blaine started awkwardly, already regretting his clumsy choice of words. “I never had the pleasure of meeting Adam, and I bet there are tons of great people who I will get never to meet... because of AIDS. So since I didn't know him, I realized that I shouldn't pretend that I did just so I could pay my proper respects to Adam,” Blaine explained.

He slowly walked over to the piano to strike one of its keys. “I kept struggling over what song I could sing here tonight. Nothing I thought of seemed worthy enough or held the right sort of message. That's when it struck me...” Blaine said, pausing to play another note.

“Memories: that's what life amounts to. All the people we meet and the life experiences we have turn into memories of the past. Some experiences can haunt us forever, others we can try our hardest to hold dear and never forget... but each one will pass us by. If the memories I've gained so far have taught me anything... it's that shame is a worthless emotion. It truly is a waste. We all know that love isn't a choice and that, despite what some people think, being gay isn't wrong. Love is wonderful. Why should a man loving another man be seen as something bad? Um... I'm getting away from my point though. Sorry. I can get carried away at times,” Blaine said with an awkward laugh. “So I'm going to stop before I make an even bigger fool of myself and just play the song now,” Blaine muttered as he brought out the correct sheet music and started to play the intro. 

Everyone in the club was too focused on Blaine to notice the three silent figures who had entered the room and were now standing at the back. The dimly lit room made it easy for Kurt, Rachel, and her husband Finn to remain hidden in the shadows and away from prying eyes.

Kurt's hand had found its way to Rachel's as soon as they had arrived and he hadn't left her side since. When he caught sight of Blaine, Kurt held his ground but he still couldn't bring himself to do something and make his presence known. Whatever Kurt planned to do about him could wait and he was determined to stand back and keep watching Blaine's performance from afar.

It only took a minute for Rachel to recognize the song Blaine was playing and she let out a quiet gasp in surprise. “Oh, Kurt. He's singing ‘Memory’...” she breathed.

Kurt's heart skipped a beat. How could Blaine know how significant that song was to him, or that he had first seen Cats with Adam? They'd both had their fair share of emotional responses during the memorable show, but 'Memory' had touched Kurt so deeply that he'd cried nonstop for the entire number. He was crying over it yet again. The difference was that the reason wasn't due to bittersweet memories of Adam; it was all because of Blaine.

Back at the piano, Blaine was already too distracted pouring his heart into the performance to notice the crowd surrounding him, let alone any hidden onlookers. He sang with such raw intensity that there was nothing left in him to filter what he was emoting with his voice. The results were so moving that Blaine had the entire room’s undivided attention, like they were all lulled into a trance. All but one.

_Daylight  
I must wait for the sunrise  
I must think of a new life  
And I mustn't give in  
When the dawn comes  
Tonight will be a memory too  
And a new day will begin_

Kurt dropped Rachel's hand suddenly and she looked at him in worry, until she saw his face and went over to snuggle up to her husband. Rachel and Finn watched as Kurt's trembling body took slightly unsteady steps toward the man playing at the piano. For Kurt there was no one else in the room; there was only Blaine and it was like he was being pulled toward him by some unknown force. Kurt was acting on instinct and he barely registered when people started to catch sight of him or when they stepped back to form a path leading him straight to Blaine. Tears were streaming down his face and his mouth felt dry but he still managed to sing the first line of the next verse without cracking his voice.

_Burnt out ends of smoky days_

At the sound of this new angelic voice, Blaine stopped playing and when he looked up to see Kurt standing before him, his hands stumbled over the keys to strike a few notes out of key. Kurt was dressed from head to toe in black and Blaine felt like he was seeing the real Kurt Hummel for the first time.

“Kurt...” Blaine breathed.

Loud gasps broke out when Dare to Flare's most well-guarded secret was suddenly revealed: Hard-Ball Hummel's first name was Kurt. But Kurt didn't react to the bomb being dropped, because staying aloof no longer mattered to him.

“Blaine,” Kurt replied.

At first Blaine had no idea what to do, or what was even going on but then he remembered he'd interrupted Kurt's attempt to take over his song. A warm smile spread across Blaine's face as he sat back down and started to play the music once more.

Kurt feared he was too overtaken by emotion to be able to sing but with the help of Blaine's music and his gentle smile, he was able to achieve perfect harmony, both in his voice and in his heart.

_The stale cold smell of morning  
A street lamp dies, another night is over  
Another day is dawning_

It was a struggle for both Blaine and Kurt to get through the number, but they powered through and continued to perform. The likes of Dare to Flare had never seen a scene so touching take place under its very roof. If only the disbelievers of the world who thought that love between two men was a sin against humanity were there to see it unfold; maybe then their eyes would open and see the proof before them as the two men gave into their feelings fully and without fear.

_Touch me  
It's so easy to leave me  
All alone with my memory  
Of my days in the sun  
If you touch me  
You'll understand what happiness is  
Look, a new day has began_

The tears never stopped as Kurt's powerful voice resonated through the room, echoing and building from the sheer emotion he was expressing. It was as if everyone there was instantly transported to a Broadway stage where Kurt was performing for a full house and all were hanging on his every note. In that moment, Kurt revealed a part of himself that no one had ever seen before and he was doing it for Blaine and no one else. Because, to him, there was only one person in the room; someone who he never wanted to let go of. 

As soon as he finished the final note, Blaine stood up from the piano, his eyes still fixed on Kurt and there was nothing in his way to stop him. Kurt matched Blaine's slow pace but he couldn't stand to be apart from Blaine any longer and bolted toward him. Blaine was running as well and the pair crashed together in the middle and into each other’s arms. Blaine stumbled back at the force of their collision, barely managing to keep them upright. Kurt refused to loosen his tight grip around Blaine’s waist, even after the danger of falling was over -- not that Blaine would have let him since his head was now cradled against Kurt’s shoulder with his cheek pressed tight against his neck.

For the first time in ages the tears Kurt wept were joyous and not due to tremendous loss. It was the most beautiful memory Kurt could ever fathom and it was far from over. This was only the start, and already it felt so wonderful that Kurt wanted time to stop. But if that wish were to come true then Kurt would never be able to utter the words he so desperately wanted to say with complete sincerity.

“I love you,” Kurt breathed, so quietly that only Blaine heard the confession.

There was no hesitance in Blaine's unsteady voice, no hint of doubt as he responded, “I love you, too.”

No one dared to utter so much as a word out of fear that they would break the trance upon the two of them, though there was little chance of that happening. Not with how tightly Blaine and Kurt were hugging each other, until suddenly they came together to experience the most beautiful and treasured kiss of their lives. As soon as their lips touched the crowd before them erupted with cheers of excited joy. But not even the volume of that noise could break the spell upon the lip-locked pair, because the catalyst was true love.

Blaine's hands came to gently grasp the back of Kurt's neck as they continued to press their lips together. Kurt's own grip on Blaine's shoulders tightened as he gave himself over fully to the sensation, etching it into the memory centre of his brain. If it were up to them, that glorious first kiss would have continued forever but they eventually pulled apart only so that they could do it again.

Basking in the love felt between them, soon the masses before the pair could no longer be contained and a full blown riot threatened to break out, but one which was rooted in celebration and not violence. It was if a wedding had just taken place right before the crowd’s very eyes. Kurt and Blaine sure looked like a newly-wedded couple who were sharing their first kiss (or multiple kisses rather) as husbands complete with congratulatory guests.

Blaine suddenly lifted Kurt off the ground and spun them around until they both felt dizzy, but it made little impact because their heads were already spinning. The cheering still hadn’t stopped and neither had the fact that the two lovestruck men in the centre of it all only had eyes for each other.

“I've never been more happy in my whole life!” Kurt exclaimed.

Blaine was nearly bursting at the seams with excitement himself. “I guess the old saying that there's only a thin line between love and hate is true!” 

Kurt smirked at Blaine. “Well then, I guess at first I thought I really, really hated you... But it turns out it was love all along.”

But the novelty of two men admitting their feelings for one another, something that was already a rarity at a gay nightclub, was beginning to wear off. While the people in the room had come to attend a memorial service and not to let loose, there was only so much even the least prejudiced of people could take.

Stephan chose to step up and approach the new lovebirds and bring the pair back down to earth before a possible riot could break out. “I couldn't be more ecstatic with this unexpected result; one I did not see coming. But, boys, you're far from alone here...” Stephan said.

“It's time for you to get a room, guys!” an unknown voice shouted from somewhere within the crowd.

Kurt scowled at the outburst, even when it had been playfully said. He took a step forward to try to see who had made it, but Stephan reached out to stop him.

“Don't bother, Kurt. I'll deal with it later,” Stephan whispered to his co-manager.

It wasn't like Kurt wanted to waste his time dealing with the uncouth, because he still had so much he wanted to say to Blaine. But he would say it privately this time and away from prying eyes, even if the majority of the populace surrounding them were acting surprisingly supportive. 

Suddenly Kurt and Blaine realized they had just confessed their love, kissed and actually twirled around in front of a hundred people. But none of those were criminal offences or anything the two felt guilty about, until Blaine realized he'd slipped up big time.

“Oh my god! I said your first name out loud!” Blaine stammered in horror.

“It's okay, Blaine. Keeping it a secret was getting ridiculous anyway,” Kurt assured.

The need for privacy was still something Kurt knew he'd never fully give up, not even when he was seen as such an out and proud individual. So Kurt took hold of Blaine's arm in one hand and beckoned for Stephan to follow with the other as he guided them both to step out of the spotlight and relocate somewhere a little less open. He paused to flash a playful wink at Rachel to let his biggest supporter know he was more than okay. Rachel beamed back at him, just as she had been doing since he'd dropped her hand, and gave him a quick thumbs up.

“Stephan, would you mind if Blaine and I bowed out so we can talk alone? Because we still have a lot to cover,” Kurt asked playfully.

“I was going to insist that you two make yourselves scarce anyway. It’s time for you to start looking after yourself and go after what you really want, Kurt,” Stephan said.

Kurt smiled at him. “Well, in this case... everything I want involves Blaine, so I am more than willing to see to my own needs for once,” he declared.

“It sound like you're planning to do him in your office,” Stephan teased.

The harmless remark reminded Kurt how Stephan knew nothing of what he and Blaine were going through and he felt a twinge of guilt. It was time for Kurt to stop shutting people out for fear of getting hurt and become more honest about his feelings. So, while Kurt wished he could tell everything to Stephan straight away, now was not the time, because there was still Blaine to look after first.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “Oh don't you start,” he muttered.

“So can you help us out here, Stephan?” Blaine asked with big hopeful eyes.

Stephan nodded immediately. “Leave it to me. I know how to handle a crowd of club regulars. So by all means, get out of here and finish confessing your love for one another. Just be sure to fill me in at the first possible chance.”

Kurt stepped forward to kiss Stephan on the cheek and quickly whispered his gratitude to his valiant friend. Stephan merely laughed and hugged the both of them before fearlessly strolling back toward the crowd like a soldier going to battle.

“Alright you lot, listen up! Drinks are on me so let's turn this memorial into a true celebration of life!” Stephan shouted.

The promise of free drinks for all was enough of a distraction to allow Blaine and Kurt to slip away from the room with little notice. They headed straight towards Kurt’s office and darted inside, quickly closing the door the behind them. What once had been a place for Kurt to avoid the outside world was now the perfect setting to pour his heart out.

Kurt whirled around to smile at Blaine lovingly. “Well, now that we're finally alone... I think the first thing I need to do is apologize for my actions...” he began.

Being in love didn't mean that Blaine could stop himself from disagreeing with Kurt on every issue though. “Kurt, you don't need to --” he interrupted.

But Kurt, in turn, wouldn't allow Blaine to push the issue aside, because he knew it was too important to ignore. “-- No, Blaine. I need to do this, so just let me, okay? Or else I will feel so insecure and guilty that it will ruin all the good parts we'll get to experience from now on,” Kurt said. 

It wasn't like Blaine wanted to argue with Kurt anyway, so he was quick to give in. “Okay, but I owe you an apology as well,” he replied.

Kurt smiled at Blaine as he came over, giving him a big hug to start the process before stepping back so they could look each other in the eye again. “I am so sorry that I pushed you away, Blaine... right when you needed me the most. It was selfish of me and something I truly regret,” Kurt said softly.

For once Blaine wasn't sure what to say at first, because a number of responses came to mind, such as 'but you were scared' or 'it's okay, it doesn't matter,' but none of them sounded good enough to him. “I forgive you, Kurt, and I hope you can forgive me for all of the times I made a bad call.”

“I do,” Kurt said without hesitation.

Blaine let out a huge sigh of relief. “Good, because we could end up apologizing forever, knowing us, and I'd much rather go back to the good stuff,” he admitted.

Yet again real change was taking place as both men were now finally able to see eye to eye. Kurt let out a happy laugh as he came at Blaine, capturing his handsome face with his hands so they could share another thrilling kiss. Blaine instantly gave in to the experience and held onto Kurt with all of his might.

“Whatever our test results are, Kurt, I need you to know I'm not going anywhere,” Blaine whispered.

“We're in this together,” Kurt agreed.

While Blaine very much wanted the mood to shift and become more relaxed, there was no denying that the seriousness of their situation was still very real. “If either of us has AIDS... or if it's both of us, then I know our lives will change. Just as I now know that you've been through that exact scenario before, and yet I still want to be with you... but I'm afraid that makes me too selfish. Because I don't want to do anything that could end up hurting you and cause you to have to relive such painful memories...” Blaine struggled to say but he could already tell he was making little sense with his attempts.

“Blaine, there is no way in hell you're acting too selfish. I won't lie to you; if we have AIDS then it's going to be a rough road for us... one where it could suddenly end without warning. But then, I can finally recognize how that's true for everyone,” Kurt said as he took Blaine's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

'How could there be so much passion in one single person?' Blaine thought to himself. He could still barely believe how well Kurt fit the description of his perfect match. “Kurt, all I want to do... is spend my life loving you. I don't care if I'm only going to live for another year, another month, I want that time together. Because a life without you in it is something I can't imagine anymore,” Blaine said, but it was hard for him to continue.

Kurt was struggling to stand back and merely listen to the most beautiful words anyone had ever spoken to him. He was already crying and his tears barely registered as he listened to Blaine, hanging on to his every word.

The only reason Blaine could keep going was because there was a certain question he needed to ask before another second went by. 'Oh fuck, come on, Blaine, you can do this,' Blaine thought to himself. He placed a gentle hand on Kurt's shoulder and leaned in to kiss him softly on the mouth to give him the courage he lacked. As soon as their lips came apart he had everything he needed and there was nothing left but to ask for it. “So .. does this mean you'll be my boyfriend, Kurt?”

Kurt rolled his eyes at Blaine needing to ask him at all. “Of course it does, you silly moron!” Kurt gushed as he rushed into Blaine's arms. “And I was just about to ask you the same thing!”

Blaine felt like he was on top of the world and he had to resist the urge to break out into song from the excitement building from within. “I guess this marks the end of Hummel and Oates then?” he asked with a playful smile.

Kurt laughed. “Oh, I don't know about that,” he admitted. “I'd like to think of this new chapter of our lives together as a new beginning, rather than a tragic end.”

Blaine didn’t miss the significance of Kurt’s words, because there was no forgetting how their own fates still hung in the balance. The next few weeks would be rough but what made it all bearable was that they had gotten each other out of it. Kurt was the light at the end of the tunnel, Blaine's shining star. Blaine made a silent vow to never let Kurt's brightness dim and to do everything in his power to ensure he would keep on shining like his own personal beacon cutting through the darkness.

Despite endless nights full of doubt, worry, and self-loathing, Kurt had fallen in love at last. He'd lost his heart to the most wonderful man, though it might have taken Kurt a while to realize this. Blaine was a dream come true, only real. AIDS couldn't stop them. Nothing could, and Kurt already knew they would go the distance.

Kurt nestled the side of his cheek into Blaine's neck, taking a moment to let everything sink in. “I'm never saying goodbye to you,” Kurt breathed.

“Okay,” Blaine willingly accepted and kissed him to seal the deal.  
___________________________________________________________________________

The first thing Kurt's waking mind registered as he slowly stirred into awareness was the twinge of pain in his neck. But there was no lingering on the surprising soreness, not when Kurt's body was ablaze and yet his feet were still freezing somehow. Suddenly Kurt's annoyance disappeared as realized the cause of his discomfort. As it turned out, sharing a bed with another person wasn't always pleasant. It would take some getting used to, but Kurt wasn't about to utter a word of complaint to his bedmate, because despite the small discomforts, waking to feel Blaine pressed close to his back was the greatest gift he could have ever hoped to receive.

Kurt let out a blissful sigh of sheer content as he snuggled up to Blaine, who was spooning him from behind. When Kurt had asked Blaine to come home with him for the night, unlike last time, nothing sexual had taken place. They'd talked about what they should do when it came to physical contact well into the night and had both come to same conclusion: doing anything sexual would have to wait until their test results had come back.

Blaine was showing every sign of still being asleep, until Kurt felt the soft sensation of lips touching the back of his neck.

“Thank you,” Kurt said, his voice barely a whisper.

“For what?” Blaine mumbled back.

Kurt shifted his body and Blaine released his hold on him so his boyfriend could turn around and bring them both face to face. Blaine gazed at Kurt lovingly, eyes twinkling and a giddy smile was upon his face as he waited for Kurt's answer.

“For being here with me. Nobody seems to realize that the day when someone dies isn't always the hardest. Sometimes, it's the morning after that's the worst... when you wake up and realize you are never going to see them again and have to accept that they're really gone. Forever. For the last two years, I've had to get up on my own, but not today. This time, Blaine, I have you, hogging the bed and overheating me in the process,” Kurt explained.

“Hey, that will come in handy when it gets colder!” Blaine said in his defence.

Kurt narrowed his eyes at Blaine. “Quiet you, I was in the middle of pouring my heart out before you rudely interrupted me. Now, where was I…?”

“Apparently I'm a bed hog and an overly warm one at that?” Blaine offered playfully but promptly shut up when he noticed Kurt was reaching his limit. “Sorry, I'll be good, gold star gay's honour, so please continue.”

It wasn't like Kurt had actually gotten annoyed with Blaine and that became clear when he kissed Blaine on the mouth. “As soon as I woke up this morning I was greeted with your warm presence and... I instantly felt so loved and safe. I've never felt anything like that before... or at least not for a very long time, and I have you to thank for that. But even now, I can hardly believe we really did confess our love to one another yesterday night,” Kurt admitted.

“It did happen without any warning, but I think that's because the potential for something special was always there.”

“I agree, though honestly I'm not proud of how long we kept our childish feud going,” Kurt admitted.

Blaine pulled Kurt close so to kiss his forehead softly. “Well, we can make up for that now.”

Kurt laughed. He still felt like their relationship was being put on hold and even now he still couldn't forget about their upcoming test results. But that didn't diminish the love he felt for Blaine, regardless of how much time they might have together in the end. Kurt wanted as many memories as possible with the man he had once described as infuriating. “Mmm, let's stay like this for a while yet, okay? I like keeping you this close,” Kurt said dreamily.

Blaine chest moved up and down as he started to chuckle, causing Kurt to laugh in turn. “That sounds like fun,” he agreed.  
___________________________________________________________________________

Just because Dare to Flare was a nightclub didn't mean it became inactive during the day, so Kurt very rarely found himself in a totally empty building. Kurt could count the few times he'd been alone there on one hand. But now, as Kurt sat at the piano in a silent room without any other signs of human life, the count was now brought up to six. It was an hour after closing and Kurt hadn't bothered to leave once the last custodian had gone home. There was something he'd wanted to do on his own, a special project he'd finally had the time to finish.

Now done, Kurt looked up at the top of the club’s piano to inspect his handiwork. Decorated over its surface were countless framed photographs of clubgoers or members of the staff who had died over the past five years, many of which (at least the more recent ones) were due to AIDS. Kurt let out a quiet sigh; it wasn't much but he still wanted to permanently honour those who were no longer living in a way that, at the same time, reminded everyone of the dangers and how life was something they all should treasure. In the middle of the collection of frames was a photo of Adam that had the seat of honour and Kurt already had plans to rotate the spot whenever any death anniversaries neared. Kurt couldn't help but think how many more photos would join his tribute in the next year. In the next month.

Kurt gazed up at the photo of his late boyfriend and smiled at it affectionately. “Hello, Adam. Now while I don't believe in the idea of life after death -- and if there is such a thing I seriously hope you're not spending your time haunting this place -- I'm going to talk to you like you can hear me, even when I know you can't. Because there's something I want to tell you. Something important. But before you start to worry, it's good news...” Kurt began.

Kurt glanced around the empty club and thought back on the ten long years he'd spent here and how so much had changed in his life since then. “I've met someone, Adam, someone who I've come to love with all of my heart. But when we first met... I loathed him with all of my being. Isn't that fucking crazy? I still don't know what I'm going to tell people when they ask how we met. Oh, before I forget, his name is Blaine... Blaine Anderson, though at first I only knew him as Oates, a nickname I bestowed upon him, actually, and it stuck pretty quickly. I'm not sure he'll ever shake it no matter how many times I try to get people to stop. Blaine says its fine and he's not bothered by it, and I'm trying to believe him...” Kurt continued to ramble.

“But it's hard sometimes to accept the fact that he loves me so much. Maybe because we started off so badly and then suddenly realized we loved one another. Or perhaps it’s because all of this happened over the course of three weeks! But things tend to run fast in New York, so who knows what the actual reasons are. I trust him and, now that I think about it, Blaine reminds me of you. You're both sweet and caring, and people are always so drawn to you. Blaine calls me his shining star, but I can't help but think I pale in comparison to his brightness. Wow, that sounds so lame. What was I even trying to say?” Kurt muttered.

Of course Kurt wasn't actually expecting an answer from Adam's nonexistent ghost but he remembered on his own anyway. “Oh right. Our test results came back this afternoon. We're both clean. We don't have HIV. I broke down crying when I got the call, probably because mine came first. But then Blaine's happened a minute later and when he finally called to tell me I was so relieved. We were both sobbing messes. I was so sure it was going to be bad news. I guess that's because I've become so used to losing those I love. So surely someone I love as much as Blaine was going to be taken from me. I hope we'll get to be with each other for a long time... even when there's no way to know for sure and that's okay. Because all I need to know is that we love each other.”

“I've fallen in love with a man who makes me feel so amazing. So I wish there was an actual way to tell you that I'm happy... and how my world is a little brighter... because of him. And you of course, Adam, because no matter how I felt about you... how I still feel... I don't regret meeting you. I will treasure the memories we made together... forever,” Kurt said.

Even if Adam hadn't heard a word of his long rant, it made Kurt feel better. He looked up at the photo of Adam and laughed. “I'm talking to a photograph.” he muttered in amusement.

The sound of nearing footsteps echoed through the room and Kurt turned to see Blaine making his way over to the piano. Just the sight of him took Kurt's breath away and he could still barely believe that he hadn't noticed his wonderful sparkle before (the kind not caused by body glitter, at least).

“Hey, what's so funny?” Blaine asked his boyfriend.

Kurt gave him a warm smile and Blaine leaned down to give him a quick kiss in greeting. Everyone in the club was still raving about the epic love story of Hummel and Oates, even if most of the facts were blown wildly out of proportion (to near pornographic levels in some instances). Only this time, Kurt didn't care if some people thought he and Blaine had fucked in his office. Now that they were both declared AIDS-free, that exact situation could potentially happen -- though Kurt would try his best to resist that urge.

“I was just having a one-sided conversation with Adam over here,” Kurt explained as he nodded to the blond's photo.

“Your favourite kind,” Blaine teased.

Kurt rolled his eyes as Blaine scooted up behind him on the piano bench and wrapped his arms around his waist. They sat there for a spell, simply enjoying each other’s company and sharing the quiet little moment in their normally hectic lives. The past few weeks had been anything but low key, spent working and trying to squeeze in whatever free time they had to be together. Stress levels were high as they awaited the test results but that, in turn, made their bond even stronger. Finally, planning their future could begin but both men agreed there was no need to rush.

“Is it too late to start disliking you again?” Kurt sassed.

“Considering we can finally have sex again, I'd say your timing is very off,” Blaine pointed out.

Kurt laughed. “Oh yeah, I guess I'll keep you then. I've gotten used to having you around.”

“What was he like? Adam, I mean?” Blaine suddenly asked as he glanced up at his photo on the piano.

Kurt had no problem describing his last boyfriend to his new one, because Blaine would know that he wasn't a replacement to Adam. “He was... a lot like you. Adam was the type of person who was at his best when he was surrounded by people. I used to envy how easily he could make friends and fit in anywhere and just belong. He left England when he was only fifteen because he'd always dreamed of living in New York. Making that dream a reality was easier to achieve when he came from money... but his drive was still impressive. He was so creative, a true artist...”

“You mean like he drew or painted? Or was he a musician or a performer?”

“He was all of those things. Most of the paintings and sketches in my apartment were done by him. All Adam Crawford originals and he never sold a single one; they were gifts that came along with his inheritance on his death. He gave me his entire life savings and all of his possessions in his will,” Kurt explained.

Blaine was surprised to hear this but he wasn't alarmed, because he had already accepted that Adam had once been the centre of Kurt's life. “He was that giving of a person, huh?”

“So are you, just so you know... and I never wanted his money, but he wore me down. So now I have a beautiful apartment thanks to him... and after meeting you, I've finally found the person I want to share it with,” Kurt admitted.

Blaine's hold on Kurt waist loosened upon hearing the confession and he quickly came to sit in front of Kurt to see his beaming face. “Are you asking me to move in with you?” he breathed.

Kurt nodded. He took hold of Blaine's hand and kissed it softly. “Yes I am. So will you live with me, Blaine? Or is our relationship happening too fast for you? We've only been together for two weeks...” Kurt began to backtrack, fearing he'd overstepped.

“Of course I wanna live with you, Kurt! You're normally such a private person. So I know how big of a step this is for you... and us,” Blaine said.

“I promise I won't change my mind in a week or anything and I doubt Hunter will miss you.”

Blaine laughed. It was true that having a roommate who used to sleep with his boyfriend was becoming a bit awkward at times. More so because Hunter was still a total dick and kept reminding Blaine of that fact whenever he could. “I do love the neighbourhood .. but you most of all, Kurt, so my answer is still yes... even if I hate moving,” Blaine assured.

“Oh right, I forgot that means you'll have to move, but at least you don't have a lot of stuff. I've already found good spots where you can put your keyboard and record player, though, if you were worried,” Kurt said.

Trust Kurt to make sure that Blaine wasn't merely moving into Kurt's life with nothing of his own to include. He had a feeling future decoration changes could be negotiated. Blaine felt so happy in that moment, but he still hadn't forgotten wanting to know more about Adam. “Now, back to Adam...” he urged.

Since Kurt was just as stubborn as Blaine, he didn't mind the less than subtle reminder that he’d had gotten sidetracked. Finalizing any moving details could wait for another night, because Kurt loved how Blaine wanted to know Adam better, despite the fact that they hadn't met and never would. “I never actually loved him, you know. Adam, I mean... at least not like I love you. My feelings towards him weren't romantic... but he was still special to me and I was in denial about it for a very long time,” Kurt admitted to Blaine, who was keeping oddly quiet. “Blaine? Please don't tell me you're questioning if my feelings towards you are genuine now.”

Blaine eyes widened in alarm at the very idea and he quickly hugged Kurt, feeling guilty but he'd been caught so off guard. “No, of course not, Kurt. I was just surprised to hear that! I thought he must have been the love of your life,” Blaine explained.

“I wanted him to be. I know you can't fall in love with someone on command, but even now I still feel guilty that I never loved him like he loved me. Which is silly, I know...”

“It's not silly, Kurt, though you shouldn't feel bad for not being able to love him. If Adam was as great as you said he was, then I bet he wouldn't have judged you for it,” Blaine replied.

Kurt smiled weakly back at him. He certainly hoped Adam would have forgiven him if Kurt had realized it soon enough to tell him before he’d died. But Kurt doubted he would have had the courage to do it, because he would have hated to hurt a dying man like that. “There's a part of me... that still thinks that if I had loved him, then it would have been enough to keep him from dying. That I lost him because I didn't care enough... and it's my fault that he's dead,” Kurt said softly.

“Kurt, you know I'm crazy about you, but that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard,” Blaine announced.

Kurt laughed. He wiped the single tear had started to fall down his cheek as he let out a shuddering breath. Hearing Blaine say the words he'd been telling himself for the past year made it easier to accept. “I know. Adam died from complications due to AIDS... not from a broken heart. It might take a while, but I think, with time, I'll finally be able to convince myself for sure. You're helping loads, too, just so you know,” Kurt told him with a loving smile.

“Good,” Blaine said in approval.

They giggled together before properly celebrating the tender moment between them with a kiss. Kurt closed his eyes as he let his senses dull so only Blaine's lips were present in his mind as he kissed him back softly.

When the kiss was over Blaine and Kurt went back to cuddling at the piano, enjoying the peaceful moment. “This place is so creepy when it's empty like this. It feels like we're sitting in a ghost town...” Blaine admitted.

“Only I doubt the Wild West had any gay clubs,” Kurt pointed out.

“You don't know that for sure,” Blaine teased.

“The first time I ever set foot in this place was when it was this dead, back when I was a rebellious seventeen-year-old who wanted to experience the gay community and, since I was underage, I broke in when it was closed,” Kurt explained.

“Oh my god. You didn't!” Blaine said in a dramatic gasp.

“I did! I hid in Stephan's office. Who caught me there, of course, and... well, the rest is history,” Kurt declared.

Blaine got the feeling there was more to the story but he wasn't so sure he wanted to hear it just yet. So he kept his mouth shut and decided to use it in a better way and initiated a make out session that quickly rose to very intense and passionate levels. Soon their kisses became more demanding and, before they knew it, they were tearing off each other’s clothes.

“Wait, do you have any condoms? Or what about lube, 'cause it would be pretty rough without it,” Blaine said, stopping Kurt when he was just about to give his boyfriend a blowjob.

Kurt smirked at Blaine; it didn't escape him that they didn't need to bother with protection now that their tests had both come back clean. Monogamy was the best way to practice safe sex, aside from abstinence of course, but Kurt wasn't about to forgo using condoms entirely. They still had their uses and he wasn't about to dismiss their importance. “I happen to know Sebastian keeps a secret stash of both at the bar. So what he doesn't know won't hurt him,” he said mischievously.

Blaine was done for and there was no turning back. He'd fully lost his heart to Kurt Hummel and he never wanted it back. “God, I love you!” he breathed, closing in for another deep kiss.  
____________________________________________________________________________   

Now both blissfully sated and feeling quite proud of themselves, Blaine and Kurt re-dressed and were finally ready to head back to Kurt's apartment. 

“You know, for the past ten years I've always had the same goal: I wanted to make it to the ‘90s,” Kurt began.

Blaine raised his brows curiously at Kurt; this was news to him. “Oh? And are you still sticking to that?” he asked, when he got the feeling that his boyfriend was going somewhere with this (somewhere gooey and romantic, most likely).

Kurt reached out to touch his fingers to the sides of Blaine's face, staring into his rich brown eyes. “No. What I want now is to grow old with you, Blaine: to age gracefully where I will surely hold on to my good looks well into my eighties. I want to watch the next few decades pass beside you... I know that's a bit of a stretch, but the heart wants but the heart wants. So there's no helping it, I'm afraid,” Kurt said in a superior voice, smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Blaine hugged Kurt by his shoulders. “That sounds like a good goal to me,” he admitted.

The pair started to walk down the road hand in hand, swinging their arms back and forth as they strolled along happy and in love. It didn't matter if not everyone looked at them with friendly glances of support; they weren't about to hide something that felt so natural to them both.

“How about you, Blaine? Do you have any hopes and dreams for the future? Or personal goals you want to achieve?” Kurt prompted.

Blaine had loads, many of which didn't include Kurt personally, but that didn't diminish how much he loved Kurt. But seeing as Kurt was clearly fishing for goals that included him, he was more than happy to indulge him. “How about marriage equality in all fifty states? I sure would love to be able to say ‘I do’ in our lifetime and have it be acknowledged by the law,” Blaine offered.

“Wow, you sure dare to dream! Just... I wouldn't count on it. Not that I wouldn't love to marry you, Blaine. Someday, when we're ready. No matter if it's official or not,” Kurt admitted.

“You never know. Maybe in a couple of decades, we can,” Blaine countered.

“Well, I know for a fact it won't happen in the 1980's,” Kurt said firmly.

“You'll get no argument from me there, as much as it pains me to admit. But living in the ‘80s hasn't been so bad. I sure love the music...” Blaine began.

“And the fashion, despite some of the more horrid trends. And so far the ‘80s have made some progress when it comes to the gay agenda. I mean, look at us! We're walking hand in hand down the street! Mind you, it's six o’clock in the morning but, still, that has to amount to something!” Kurt rambled.

“And best of all, we met in the ‘80s, so from now I will call it 'The Decade of Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson,'” Blaine declared.

“That has a nice ring to it,” Kurt said with a laugh. “ But how about we call it 'The Decade When Hummel Met Oates’?” he suggested instead.

Blaine didn’t stop himself from laughing, because he thought Kurt was making another obvious joke. “Wow, that's terrible...” he said as he continued to chuckle, until Kurt's icy stare made him think he'd made a bad call. 

Kurt dropped Blaine’s hand and, like a true dramatic, stormed off ahead without another word. Seeing his error of ways, even if he thought Kurt was honestly overreacting, Blaine raced after his annoyed boyfriend. “Kurt, wait! I was just kidding around!” Blaine called to Kurt. But it was no use; Kurt wasn't willing to listen to his pleas of forgiveness. 'What have I gotten myself into?' Blaine thought in amazement. But he'd make it right, because considering where they had started, this was nothing.

“Kurt!” Blaine shouted as he ran after the love of his life.

Blaine didn't need to go very far to catch up with Kurt though. He was right around the corner and jumped out of hiding. “Surprise! Like I'd find that offensive,” Kurt chimed. He stopped giggling when he noticed Blaine was frowning. “What? Are you seriously angry at me?” he asked warily. 

“Maybe a little, but that's just cause I thought you were pissed at me for real,” Blaine admitted. 

Kurt pursed his lips together and he draped his arms over Blaine's shoulders. “I'm sorry Blaine, I was just trying to have some fun with you. I guess we still have a lot to work on...” he said. 

Blaine grinned at Kurt. “We do, but at least its the fun sort of work,” he pointed out. 

The End


End file.
